What Happened?
At least three people were killed and more than a dozen injured in overnight Russian drone attacks on southeastern Ukraine, while Kyiv launched long-range strikes targeting an oil refinery and a military-industrial facility deep inside Russian territory.
According to Ukrainian officials, Russia attacked the Dnipropetrovsk region with drones early Wednesday, killing one woman and damaging five petrol stations. A separate strike late Tuesday on the city of Zaporizhzhia killed two people and wounded several others.
What Did Ukraine Target?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces struck an oil refinery in Ufa, more than 1,300 kilometres from the front line, along with what he described as a strategic military-industrial facility in Russia’s Penza region.
Calling the operation a response to continued Russian attacks, Zelenskyy said, “This is an entirely just response to everything Russia is doing against us. Peace is needed, and this is exactly what Russia’s leadership must realize.”
How Has Russia Responded?
A day earlier, Russia claimed its air defence systems intercepted 419 Ukrainian drones across the country, including over the Moscow region. Russian authorities said a six-month-old child was killed during the attacks.
Why Does It Matter?
The latest exchanges highlight the intensifying long-range drone campaign between the two sides as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine enters its fifth year. Ukraine has increasingly targeted military and energy infrastructure deep inside Russian territory in an effort to disrupt logistics and weaken Moscow’s war effort, while Russia continues regular missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure.