Ukraine launched what it described as its “most massive” attack of the war so far, striking targets deep inside Russian territory on Tuesday.
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, ammunition depots and chemical plants were attacked in several regions, some hundreds of kilometers from the border.
Sources from the Ukrainian SBU intelligence agency referred to the overnight attacks as a “painful blow” to Russia's military capabilities. The SBU told the BBC that the operation was part of Ukraine's strategy to weaken Russia's ability to sustain its war efforts.
Russia, for its part, claimed to have intercepted and shot down several missiles, including US-supplied ATACMS missiles and British-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles. Moscow officials have vowed to respond to the attacks.
The attacks caused significant disruption within Russia. Air traffic was temporarily suspended at nine airports in the central and western regions. In the southwestern region of Saratov, local authorities closed schools as a precaution.
In the Bryansk border region, explosions were reported at a refinery, ammunition depots and a chemical plant allegedly dedicated to the production of gunpowder and explosives. Ukrainian security sources confirmed these details to the BBC.
The attacks extended far beyond the border, with the Ukrainian General Staff claiming to have hit targets up to 1,100 kilometers (700 miles) into Russian territory. In the Saratov cities of Engels and Saratov, Governor Roman V. Busargin reported damage to two industrial facilities following what he called a “massive” drone attack. Schools in the region moved to online learning on Tuesday.
Last week, kyiv attacked an oil storage facility in Engels, sparking intense firefighting efforts and prompting Governor Busargin to declare a state of emergency.
More attacks were reported in the western Tula region, where Governor Dmitry V. Milyaev claimed that Russian air defenses had shot down 16 drones overnight. While no casualties were reported, falling debris caused damage to cars and buildings.
In the southwestern region of Tatarstan, a gas storage site near Kazan was attacked by a drone. Local authorities did not report any casualties, but confirmed that the scene had been hit.
Russia responded by launching dozens of drones across Ukraine. The Ukrainian Air Force claimed to have intercepted approximately 60 of the 80 drones deployed by Russia, with no casualties reported in these attacks.
The escalation comes as Ukraine seeks to counter Russian advances on the battlefield. Meanwhile, US President-elect Donald Trump has expressed his intention to prioritize negotiations to end the war upon taking office. Trump has expressed skepticism about current US military and financial aid to kyiv, saying his focus will be on negotiating peace.
The details of their proposed approach are still unclear.
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