KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine launched a series of long-range attacks deep inside Russia on Wednesday, striking energy facilities and military industries as part of Kyiv's strategy to escalate the war's costs for the Kremlin. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian forces hit several military and energy infrastructure sites, including a military factory that supplies components for Russian drones and missiles.
In a social media post, Zelenskyy stated that Ukrainian FP-5 Flamingo long-range missiles struck the facility in Cheboksary, located in the Chuvashiya region more than 560 miles from the front line. Russia's Defense Ministry reported that air defenses shot down 326 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Oleg Nikolayev, the head of Chuvashiya, acknowledged the missile attack but provided no further details. The Astra online news outlet reported that the strike hit the VNIIR-Progress plant, which produces antennas for drones.
Zelenskyy also said Ukrainian forces targeted a refinery in Russia's Samara region, where Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev noted that several industrial plants were damaged by drone strikes and three people were injured. Fedorishchev did not specify the facilities, but Astra published images of a large fire at the Samara refinery.
Additionally, Zelenskyy mentioned that Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) struck two oil infrastructure facilities in Russia's Vladimir region, about 435 miles from the front line. In Russian-occupied Crimea, a Ukrainian drone hit the building housing a massive panorama painting depicting the defense of Sevastopol during the 19th-century Crimean War.
Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Kremlin-appointed head of Sevastopol, said the painting by artist Franz Rubo was effectively destroyed. As the front line, stretching over 600 miles, has remained largely static due to drone swarms hindering advances, both sides have increasingly relied on long-range strikes.
These audacious Ukrainian attacks challenge Russian President Vladimir Putin's claims of victory in the war, now in its fifth year. Last week, Putin vowed to strengthen Russia's air defenses after Ukrainian attacks set an oil terminal ablaze in St.
Petersburg and hit a nearby naval base, casting a shadow over his economic forum in his hometown. The St.
Petersburg attacks were another embarrassment for Putin, following his scaling back of the annual Victory Day parade in Moscow due to fears of Ukrainian drone strikes. Ukraine's Air Force reported that air defenses downed 181 of 207 Russian drones.
A barrage of 26 drones struck Kharkiv early Wednesday, injuring at least four people, according to regional administration head Oleh Syniehubov. He added that one person was killed and 15 others were injured in the region over the past 24 hours.
In Zaporizhzhia and its region, 10 people were injured overnight in a series of Russian aerial attacks, according to regional head Ivan Fedorov. In Odesa, a mother and two children, aged 8 and 10, required medical attention after Russian drones damaged two residential buildings, as reported by regional administration head Oleh Kiper.