Ukraine struck multiple targets deep inside Russia on Tuesday in what it claimed was the “largest” offensive of the war so far.
Ammunition depots and chemical factories were damaged in several regions, some hundreds of kilometers from the border, Ukraine’s military general staff said.
An official with Ukraine’s intelligence service SBU told the BBC that night’s attack was a “severe blow” to Russia’s ability to wage war.
Russia announced that it shot down a US-supplied Atakumus missile and a British-made Storm Shadow cruise missile, and vowed to respond to the attack.
At least nine airports in central and central Russia temporarily halted traffic, and schools in the southwestern Saratov region were also closed due to the strike.
A Ukrainian security official told the BBC that strikes in the border area of Bryansk caused explosions at oil refineries, ammunition depots and chemical factories believed to produce gunpowder and explosives.
But Kiev also attacked deeper into the country, with the General Staff claiming it had attacked targets up to 1,100 kilometers (700 miles) from the border.
In the western Saratov region, authorities reported a “large-scale” drone attack.
Two factories in the cities of Engels and Saratov were damaged, regional governor Roman Busargin wrote on Telegram.
Students took classes online Tuesday when local schools were closed.
Kiev announced last week that a fire had broken out at the Engels oil storage facility, and Busargin declared a state of emergency after days of fighting the blaze.
Officials in the western region of Tula also reported attacks during the night, and the region’s Russian governor, Dmitry Milyaev, said air defense forces shot down 16 drones.
He said there were no casualties, but falling debris damaged some cars and buildings.
In southwestern Tatarstan, a drone attack hit a gas storage facility near Kazan, but local officials said there were no reports of casualties.
Ukraine said Russia also launched dozens of drones across Ukraine during the night, and multiple air raid warnings were issued in and around Kiev.
According to the tally, all but one plane was shot down or lost.
Some were dummy, or decoy, drones used to overwhelm air defenses.
As air raid sirens sounded over Kiev last night, a drone flew back and forth for some time, its movements tracked by various telegram groups.
One user joked that it was “a great idea” to send Air Force soldiers operating air defense systems to the front lines as infantry.
Today, the Ukrainska Pravda newspaper reported, citing sources, that more than 5,000 troops will be transferred from the air force to the ground forces, following orders from General Oleksandr Shirschiky.
In response, the acting commander of the Air Force insisted that experts who are “objectively difficult to replace,” especially those trained in foreign-supplied weapons and equipment, would not be transferred. This likely includes F16 aircraft and Patriot air defense systems.
The General Staff also commented, acknowledging that there was a shortage of infantry “in many areas” and that the situation on the front was “not easy.”
“The decision to strengthen the front-line ground brigades at the expense of military personnel of other branches and branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is a forced measure of the military leadership to strengthen the defense of our country,” the statement said. It is written.
According to Ukraine, it was a fiery night in Russia.
Videos posted online appear to confirm at least some of the claims, with Moscow’s Defense Ministry saying the American and British-made missiles were shot down over Bryansk and the Black Sea.
The BBC asked Ukraine’s General Staff to comment on Russia’s claim that it shot down 14 Western-made missiles overnight.
Spokesman Bodan Senik said his office “does not know anything about the information you are asking about.”
With less than a week left until President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, Ukraine is trying to resist the advance of Russian ground forces as much as possible.
Authorities in Kiev are under pressure from the U.S. government to lower the military draft age and allow more soldiers to be sent to the front.
Mike Walz, President Trump’s national security adviser, recently told ABC News that Ukraine should address its troop shortage and that if the United States wants to be “all in” with Ukraine, “we need democracy.” “We need to do our best,” he said.
These were harsh words, given the heavy price Ukraine has already paid to defend itself and NATO’s eastern flank, and they seemed to foretell a change in tone in Washington with President Trump’s return to the White House. .
President Zelenskiy reiterated in Kiev on Tuesday that it makes no sense to lower the draft age from 25 to 18 if the already deployed Ukrainian army lacks weapons.
“There are more than 100 brigades on the battlefield, and each brigade requires daily supplies and equipment,” Zelenskiy said.
Kiev often claims that its allies are slow in delivering promised weapons, such as air defense systems and missiles.
President Trump said he is preparing to meet with President Vladimir Putin when he returns to the White House and make ending the war in Ukraine a top priority.
He did not say how he plans to do that.
