Russia has announced plans for “large-scale attacks” on energy facilities in Ukraine, saying the strikes would be a response to continued Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructure and Russia’s oil and energy industry.
In a statement posted on Telegram, Russia’s Defence Ministry said its armed forces had begun preparing the attacks. Moscow did not say when the strikes might take place or which facilities could be targeted, as reported by ORF News.
During the past winter, Russia sharply increased its attacks on Ukrainian power stations. The strikes left millions of people facing cold, darkness and uncertainty as temperatures fell.
For several months, Russia and Ukraine have intensified their long-range attacks. The targets have increasingly included civilian and industrial infrastructure, such as warehouses, commercial buildings, oil facilities, ports and ships. The attacks have repeatedly caused civilian casualties.
At least 37 people were killed after a Russian strike hit an ammunition depot in a suburb of Kyiv on Saturday, according to the report. The blast was extremely powerful and shook nearby areas.
Russia’s army said it had also struck a plant near Kyiv that produces asbestos and cement. The military claimed that explosives were stored inside the facility. It also said that a site producing drones and ammunition had been attacked.
The claims could not be independently verified. Both sides have regularly accused each other of targeting civilian infrastructure during the war.
Ukraine carried out its own drone attack overnight on an oil refinery in the north-east of the country. Local authorities said the strike caused a fire. No further details about the damage or possible casualties were immediately available.
The latest exchange of attacks has increased fears that energy facilities on both sides could again become major targets. Serious damage to Ukraine’s power network would threaten heating, electricity and basic services as the next cold season approaches.
