Moscow launches large-scale attack on Ukraine as Kyiv continues attacks on Russian oil refineries

Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack at various regions across Ukraine on Saturday, killing at least three and wounding dozens others.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia launched over 600 drones and missiles, which targeted nine regions across Ukraine, including Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, Poltava, Kyiv, Odesa, Sumy and Kharkiv.

“The enemy aimed at our infrastructure, residential areas, and civilian enterprises,” Zelenskyy wrote on X, adding that a missile equipped with cluster munitions struck a multi-story building in the city of Dnipro.

“Every such strike is not a military necessity but a deliberate strategy by Russia to terrorize civilians and destroy our infrastructure,” the Ukrainian leader concluded.

Local media reported one person was killed and eight others were injured in the Chernihiv district. Three of the injured had been travelling by car when a drone struck. Three medics were called to the scene, who were then also injured when a second strike hit the region. All six were transported to the hospital.

In Dnipropetrovsk, at least 30 people were injured, local governor Serhii Lysak said, adding that several high-rise buildings and homes were damaged in the eastern city of Dnipro.

Ukraine’s Air Force said that out of the 619 drones and missiles launched by Russia, including 579 drones, eight ballistic missiles and 32 cruise missiles, it show down and neutralised 552 drones, two ballistic missiles and 29 cruise missiles.

Kyiv’s campaign against Russian oil and gas infrastructure

Meanwhile, Ukraine has continued its attacks on Russia’s oil industry, striking two oil refineries in Russia’s Saratov and Samara regions.

“Saratovsky refinery provides approximately 2.54% of the total volume of oil refinery in Russia (over 7 million tons of oil annually),” Ukraine’s General Staff said in a statement.

The statement added that Ukraine also damaged the main transport infrastructure facility in Samara.

“All affected facilities are involved in supplying the Russian Armed Forces,” the statement read.

The attack comes as part of Kyiv’s wider campaign in targeting Russian oil and gas infrastructure, which Zelenskyy claims is a key income source that is funding Russia’s war against Ukraine.

On Friday, the European Commission proposed a fresh round of sanctions on Russia, targeting liquified natural gas (LNG), banks, cryptocurrency platforms and vessels from Moscow’s so-called “shadow fleet”.

Zelenskyy welcomed the additional sanctions, claiming “it targets the key engines of the war economy: energy revenues, finance, high-tech inputs, and the military-industrial base,” adding that “this is an important step that will intensify pressure on Russia’s war machine and have a tangible impact.”