Russian strikes kill 10 in Ukraine as Kyiv targets sanctioned oil infrastructure
A day of reciprocal escalation sees Moscow launch nearly 270 drones against Ukrainian cities and Kyiv retaliate with 334 drones against Russian energy assets
Russian aerial strikes across Ukraine have resulted in 10 fatalities and at least 76 injuries over the past 24 hours, according to reports from officials in five regions. The casualties were distributed across Kherson, Odesa, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Sumy, where local governors confirmed the deaths and injuries sustained during Moscow's continued targeting of urban areas.
In a reciprocal escalation of the conflict, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Kyiv's forces successfully struck an oil terminal in northwestern Russia and two oil tankers near the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. Addressing the strikes via Telegram, the President stated that the vessels near Novorossiysk were actively used for transporting oil and are now non-operational, identifying them as part of Russia's sanctioned shadow fleet.
The attack on the Primorsk oil terminal in the Leningrad region, located near Finland, also resulted in significant damage to the facility and three ships. Zelensky confirmed that while fires were extinguished at the site, there were no reported oil spills. The assault on this Baltic hub marks a continuation of recent successful strikes by Ukrainian forces against Russian oil infrastructure, which Kyiv claims has disrupted billions of dollars worth of exports.
The aerial exchange involved substantial force from both sides, with Russia launching nearly 270 drones and a ballistic missile against Ukrainian territory. Ukrainian forces responded by firing at least 334 drones, with the majority of the attacks heavily concentrated on the Leningrad region. While most of the Russian projectiles were intercepted, the sheer volume of the assault underscores the intensity of the ongoing drone warfare.
In response to the deep reach of Ukrainian drones into its territory, the Kremlin has expressed concern regarding the security threat posed by these attacks. Consequently, Russian authorities announced on Wednesday that they are reducing the scale of their annual Victory Day military parade, citing the terrorist threat from Ukraine as the primary reason for the decision.
Despite the escalation, there remain uncertainties regarding the specific extent of physical damage sustained by the two oil tankers near Novorossiysk. Additionally, the authenticity of the video footage accompanying Zelensky's claim about a naval drone approaching a vessel has not been independently verified, leaving some details of the operational outcomes unconfirmed.
