On Sunday night, the Russian army launched a large-scale air operation against Ukraine. According to Ukrainian authorities, the enemy launched more than 200 strike and decoy unmanned aerial vehicles. The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports that the vast majority of targets were shot down, however, 14 hits were recorded in 11 settlements.
Destruction and casualties in the north and south of the country
Particular strikes hit the northern regions. In the Chernihiv region, a drone hit the territory of an industrial enterprise. As a result of the incident, a 58-year-old man died. A fire broke out at a parking lot, where the flames destroyed seven trucks.
In the Rivne region, a non-operating enterprise was subjected to an attack. According to preliminary data provided by the head of the regional administration, Alexander Koval, human casualties were avoided.
In the southeast, in the Dnipropetrovsk region, Russian troops delivered about 20 strikes using drones and artillery. In Dnipro, a fire broke out at the warehouse of a logistics company. As a result of the attacks, two people were injured. Damage was caused to a kindergarten, a medical office, a number of multi-apartment and private houses, as well as agricultural structures.
Attack statistics and request for air defense
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy published statistics on the aggression for the current week on his social media. According to him, Russia launched more than 2,300 strike drones, about 1,560 guided aviation bombs, and 108 missiles of various types against the country.
"All these strikes are directed at ordinary civilian infrastructure — residential buildings, energy sector," — the head of state emphasized. Zelenskyy again called on Western partners to accelerate the delivery of missiles for air defense systems to ensure an adequate level of protection.
On Saturday, Ukraine received a new launcher of the IRIS-T surface-to-air missile system from Germany. Zelenskyy thanked Berlin for its contribution to the protection of the population, noting that such support allows saving thousands of lives. The President also expressed hope for assistance from the USA and other European countries, calling anti-ballistic defense a key priority for depriving Russia of a tactical advantage.
Retaliatory strikes on Russia's oil infrastructure
In response to Russian attacks, Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles struck oil industry facilities in various regions of the Russian Federation. In the Saratov region, one of the largest oil refineries in the Volga region, part of the "Rosneft" structure, was damaged. The design capacity of the enterprise is about 7 million tons of oil per year. Governor Roman Busargin confirmed damage to civilian infrastructure objects but did not disclose details.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Unmanned Systems Forces confirmed the fact of the attack and the outbreak of a fire at the oil refinery.
Another target of the strike was the "Lazarevo" linear production and dispatch station (LPDS) in the Kirov region. This facility ensures the transit of oil to the central part of Russia. Governor Alexander Sokolov reported a fire at the enterprise in the Urzhumsky district, noting the absence of casualties.
The Special Operations Forces of Ukraine clarified that a key node of oil pipelines connecting Siberia with Europe was hit. The "Lazarevo" LPDS, located 1,200 kilometers from the border, is part of the "Surgut-Polotsk" pipeline. Through this artery, oil is transported to the Baltic ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga, as well as to Belarus. The station is also integrated into the "Druzhba" pipeline system.