Russia launches airstrikes on Ukraine after raids

MOSCOW: The Russian military has carried out a series of strikes on Ukrainian military-related targets in response to “terrorist” raids by Kiev deep into Russia, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said, RT reported.

In a statement on Friday, the ministry said its forces had launched a massive strike overnight in retaliation for “the terrorist acts of the Kiev regime,” adding that it involved long-range precision weapons, Kinzhal air-based hypersonic missiles and drones.

Building on this, officials detailed that the attack targeted industrial enterprises developing and producing drones and other robotic mobile systems, facilities manufacturing various military equipment in Kiev, as well as a military airfield and an oil refinery in an undisclosed location.

“The goal of the strike has been achieved. All designated facilities have been hit,” the ministry added.

Reacting to the development, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky described the attack as “one of the largest airstrikes” the country has faced, claiming it involved 550 aerial targets of various kinds, including 330 drones. He added that the raid affected Kiev, Dnepropetrovsk, Sumy, Kharkov, and Chernigov regions, resulting in 23 people being injured, RT reported.

Supporting this account, Ukrainian media outlets shared footage from Kiev showing massive blazes, with some districts covered by smoke so thick that residents were forced to wear masks. Local authorities reported damage to a warehouse, a repair facility, and several other buildings.

While the damage spread across multiple regions, Moscow maintained that its strikes do not target civilians and are aimed exclusively at Ukraine’s military-related facilities and troop concentrations.

Further intensifying the situation, on Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported downing 48 Ukrainian drones over Russia. One UAV strike killed an elderly woman in Rostov Region. Moscow Region was also targeted, with one attack damaging a power station in the city of Sergiyev-Posad, north-east of the Russian capital, RT added.

Providing additional details of the escalation, Russian forces launched a large-scale overnight strike on Ukrainian industrial infrastructure using long-range precision weapons and drones, Russia Today reported on June 30.

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the operation on Sunday, calling it a “massive strike” targeting Ukraine’s military-industrial and oil-processing facilities.

Expanding on the nature of the assault, the ministry stated that it involved high-precision long-range air-, sea-, and land-based weapons, including the aeroballistic hypersonic Kinzhal missile system and unmanned aerial vehicles. While no detailed breakdown of the targets was provided, the ministry declared that the “strike goals were achieved. All designated targets were hit,” Russia Today stated.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also confirmed the attack, claiming that Russia deployed 477 explosives-laden drones and 60 missiles of various types.

In response to the strike’s intensity, Zelensky posted on Telegram urging Kyiv’s Western allies to increase air defence support. He further revealed that a Western-supplied F-16 fighter jet was lost while intercepting the strike, resulting in the pilot’s death.

Adding to the picture of widespread damage, in Poltava Region, an industrial site in Kremenchuk was also reportedly hit. Russia Today reported that both locations are home to oil-processing plants, believed to be the likely targets of the attack. Social media footage circulating online appeared to show explosions and aftermath scenes from several affected regions in Ukraine. (ANI)