Ukraine carried out “massive” drone strikes on several regions of Russia overnight, local officials announced on Tuesday. This appears to be one of the largest recent attacks in Ukraine’s campaign to neutralize Russia’s war machine on its territory.
The attack took place primarily in southwestern Russia and was the latest in a series of attacks in which Kiev’s forces have demonstrated their ability to strike deep into Ukraine, even as they face setbacks on their own territory. .
Explosions were reported in the border region of Bryansk, and the drones also targeted areas far beyond the border, including Saratov and Tula in western Russia, officials in those regions said.
Ukraine’s military did not immediately comment on the attack. However, Ukraine’s government agency, the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security, said seven regions in Russia were being attacked, including military production plants and oil and gas facilities.
The threat forced at least six cities to restrict their airspace on Tuesday morning, Russia’s Federal Aviation Agency said. This included the cities of Saratov and Engels, both of which were attacked overnight.
Two factories were damaged, said Roman V. Busargin, governor of the Saratov region. wrote on telegram. “Today Saratov and Engels received a large-scale drone attack,” he said, using another name for the drone. “A large number of targets were eliminated by air defense.”
It was the second time in a week that Engels, home to an airfield for some of Russia’s long-range nuclear bombers, has been attacked. Emergency services have only recently extinguished a large fire caused by the January 8 strike.
Mr. Busargin said Schools will be closed and classes in the cities of Engels and Saratov will be held remotely on Tuesday.
Authorities in the Tula region in western Russia similarly confirmed a large-scale drone attack. Regional Governor Dmitry V. Milyaev, said Air defense forces shot down 16 drones, and falling debris damaged some cars and buildings. There were no casualties.
Local news media in Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan in southwestern Russia, reported A tanker at a liquefied natural gas terminal collided, causing a large-scale fire.
The head of the republic, Rustam N. Minnikhanov, wrote on telegram Firefighters extinguished the fire and said there were no casualties or “significant damage.”
Powerful explosions were reported in the border area of Bryansk, which is under more regular attack. Russian independent media organization Astra reported that a chemical factory was attacked. This report could not be independently verified.
From the beginning, Kiev’s attack on Russian soil was aimed at limiting Moscow’s ability to attack Ukrainian cities. But in recent weeks, they have become even more important. There are concerns that he will weaken U.S. support for Ukraine in an attempt to show strength ahead of President-elect Donald J. Trump’s inauguration next week.
Trump has vowed to end the war quickly. Although he has not said how, many in Ukraine fear he will make concessions to Russian President Vladimir V. Putin that are a red line for Kiev to cross. are.
The Russian military is also making a show of force ahead of Trump’s inauguration on Monday. Kiev drones targeted areas of Russia overnight, while Moscow’s military carried out air strikes into Ukraine, putting much of the country under air raid alert.
ukrainian air force said On Tuesday morning, it said nearly 80 drones were involved in the attack, but it had managed to shoot down 60. It added that crashed drones caused damage to apartment buildings and cars in some areas, but there were no casualties.
Natalia Novosorova and Natalya Vasilyeva Contributed to the report.