KYIV: Ukraine launched one of its biggest drone strikes since the onset of the full-scale war with Russia, targeting power plants and an oil refinery overnight, while Russian forces made significant advances toward a key strategic town in eastern Ukraine, officials reported on Sunday.
The drone attack marked a substantial escalation in Ukraine’s efforts to hit Russian infrastructure and disrupt Moscow’s military capabilities.
Meanwhile, Russian officials claimed that their air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 158 Ukrainian drones, causing fires at the Moscow Oil Refinery and Konakovo Power Station in the Tver region. However, Kyiv has yet to confirm these reports, and the extent of the damage remains unclear.
The drone assault follows a brutal week of airstrikes by Russia, which, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, involved 160 missiles, 780 guided aerial bombs, and 400 attack drones targeting Ukrainian cities and military positions. In response, Zelensky renewed his calls for Western allies to provide more advanced weaponry, including long-range missiles to strike deeper into Russian territory and disrupt military logistics.
In a statement on Telegram, Zelensky urged, “All the necessary forces of the world must be brought in to stop this terror. This does not require extraordinary forces, but enough courage on the part of the leaders — courage to give Ukraine what it needs to defend itself.”
The latest escalation comes amid ongoing heavy fighting in the eastern region of Ukraine, where Russian forces have continued their offensive toward the town of Pokrovsk. This town, a vital military hub and transport link, has seen increased Russian pressure despite Ukraine’s recent surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region. Ukrainian forces had hoped that the incursion would force Russia to redeploy troops, easing the pressure on eastern Ukrainian fronts, but it appears to have had limited impact so far.
Russian Defense Ministry officials reported capturing two additional settlements in the Donetsk region, bringing their forces closer to Pokrovsk. The captured settlements include Ptyche, which is located just 21 kilometers (13 miles) southeast of Pokrovsk.
Ukrainian officials have reported casualties from ongoing shelling in the region, with at least three people killed and nine wounded in Russian shelling of Kurakhove, a town situated about 35 kilometers south of Pokrovsk.
The situation in eastern Ukraine remains dire, with Ukrainian forces struggling to hold their ground against the advancing Russian troops.
Ukraine’s top military commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, described the situation as “difficult,” around Russia’s main line of attack in eastern Ukraine.
