Ukraine launches big strikes on Russian cities

Ukraine conducted a significant drone and missile assault on Russian territories overnight, resulting in damage to at least two factories and the closure of schools in a prominent southern Russian city, as reported by Russian officials and media outlets.

The Shot Telegram channel indicated that Russian forces intercepted over 200 Ukrainian drones and five ATACMS ballistic missiles manufactured in the United States.

“The enemy has executed a large-scale combined strike on the territory of the Russian regions,” stated the war blogger known as Two Majors.

Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of the Bryansk region in western Russia, confirmed that Ukraine had initiated a substantial missile attack but did not specify the types of missiles involved.

The Russian defense ministry, which typically provides updates on such incidents, has not yet issued a statement. Reuters has not been able to independently verify these claims.

In the city of Engels, which hosts an air base for Russia’s nuclear bombers, Saratov Governor Roman Busargin reported that a drone had caused damage to an industrial facility, though he did not provide further details.

Busargin announced that educational institutions in Saratov and Engels will conduct classes remotely. The aviation authority of Russia has implemented flight restrictions in Kazan, Saratov, Penza, Ulyanovsk, and Nizhnekamsk.

Nizhnekamsk, located in the Tatarstan republic, hosts the significant Taneco refinery, where attack sirens were reportedly activated.

On November 21, Russia launched a new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile named “Oreshnik,” or Hazel Tree, targeting Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin stated that this action was a direct retaliation for Ukrainian strikes on Russia using US and British missiles.

Following these incidents, Putin remarked that the conflict in Ukraine is escalating towards a global confrontation, particularly after the US and Britain permitted Ukraine to strike Russian territory, cautioning the West about potential retaliatory actions from Moscow.

President-elect Donald Trump has advocated for a ceasefire and swift negotiations to resolve the conflict, raising uncertainties about Washington’s long-term commitment to supporting Ukraine.

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022 has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties, displaced millions, and has sparked the most significant crisis in Moscow-West relations since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.