KYIV, (TDI): Ukraine launched its largest aerial strike on Russian territory overnight, marking a significant escalation in the nearly three-year war, according to Kyiv. The attack targeted factories and energy hubs situated hundreds of miles from the frontlines.
Russia’s military accused Ukraine of using US- and British-supplied missiles in the strikes and vowed retaliation.
The barrage led to the closure of schools in the southwestern Saratov region and disrupted air traffic at nine airports in central and western Russia.
Russia’s defense ministry claimed to have intercepted six US-supplied ATACMS missiles and six British Storm Shadow cruise missiles during the assault on the Bryansk region.
As the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump approaches, both Moscow and Kyiv have intensified their strikes, signaling preparations for potential negotiations to end the conflict.
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“The Ukrainian Defence Forces carried out the most massive strike against Russian military facilities, ranging from 200 to 1,100 kilometers deep into Russian territory,” Ukraine’s General Staff posted on social media.
The attack targeted key sites in the Bryansk, Saratov, Tula regions, and the Republic of Tatarstan. These included a chemical factory, an oil depot near a Russian air base, and an oil refinery.
Roman Busargin, governor of Russia’s Saratov region, described the scale of the attack as “massive.” Schools in Saratov and Engels switched to online classes on Tuesday, following the strikes.
This attack followed a previous Ukrainian drone strike on an oil depot in Engels on January 8, which firefighters had only just extinguished.
In Tatarstan, a Ukrainian drone targeted a gas storage tank, igniting flames and thick smoke near Kazan. Local media reported that a liquefied gas storage base was struck. Additionally, Ukraine claimed to have hit a chemical plant near Seltso, more than 100 kilometers from the border.
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Ukraine has regularly targeted energy facilities in Russia, describing it as “fair” retaliation for Russia’s persistent attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid since February 2022.
Meanwhile, Russian forces claimed gains on the front lines, announcing the recapture of two Ukrainian villages in eastern Donetsk — Neskuchne and Terny — which Kyiv had previously retaken. The Russian defense ministry noted that the area around Neskuchne is a crucial logistical hub for Ukraine.
