Ukraine delivers ‘most massive’ strike, hitting Russian territory

Ukraine launched what it described as its “most massive” assault of the war so far, striking targets deep within Russian territory on Tuesday.

According to the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, ammunition depots and chemical plants were hit across several regions, some as far as hundreds of kilometres from the border.

Sources within Ukraine’s SBU intelligence agency referred to the overnight strikes as a “painful blow” to Russia’s military capability. The SBU told the BBC that the operation was part of Ukraine’s strategy to weaken Russia’s ability to sustain its war efforts.

Russia, for its part, claimed to have intercepted and shot down a number of missiles, including US-supplied ATACMS missiles and UK-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles. Officials in Moscow have vowed to respond to the attacks.

The strikes caused significant disruption within Russia. Air traffic was temporarily halted at nine airports in central and western regions. In the southwestern Saratov region, local authorities closed schools as a precautionary measure.

In the border region of Bryansk, explosions were reported at a refinery, ammunition depots, and a chemical plant reportedly involved in the production of gunpowder and explosives. Ukrainian security sources confirmed these details to the BBC.

The attacks extended far beyond the border, with Ukraine’s General Staff claiming to have hit targets up to 1,100 kilometres (700 miles) into Russian territory. In Saratov’s Engels and Saratov cities, Governor Roman V. Busargin reported damage to two industrial facilities following what he called a “massive” drone attack. Schools in the region shifted to online learning on Tuesday.

Last week, Kyiv targeted an oil storage facility in Engels, leading to an extended firefighting effort and prompting Governor Busargin to declare a state of emergency.

Further attacks were reported in the western region of Tula, where Governor Dmitry V. Milyaev stated that Russian air defenses had shot down 16 drones overnight. While there were no reported casualties, falling debris caused damage to cars and buildings.

In the southwestern Tatarstan region, a gas storage site near Kazan was struck in a drone attack. Local officials reported no casualties but confirmed the site had been hit.

Russia responded by launching dozens of drones across Ukraine. Ukraine’s Air Force claimed to have intercepted approximately 60 of the 80 drones deployed by Russia, with no casualties reported from these attacks.

The escalation comes as Ukraine seeks to counter Russian advances on the battlefield. Meanwhile, US President-elect Donald Trump has signalled intentions to prioritize negotiations to end the war upon taking office. Trump has expressed scepticism about ongoing US military and financial aid to Kyiv, stating his focus will be on brokering peace.

Details of his proposed approach remain unclear.

ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE 

Russia, Ukraine exchange 300 prisoners of war