Russia Claims Large-Scale Missile, Drone Strikes on Ukraine Amid Escalation

(MENAFN) According to reports, Russia has announced it carried out a large-scale retaliatory strike against Ukrainian military and defense-industrial targets following what it described as Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructure inside Russian territory.

The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the operation involved a wide range of long-range systems, including Oreshnik ballistic missiles, Iskander aeroballistic missiles, Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, Zircon cruise missiles, as well as additional air-, sea-, and ground-launched cruise missiles and attack drones. The ministry claimed the strikes were directed at Ukrainian military command centers, air bases, and defense production facilities, asserting that “the objectives of the strike were achieved” and that all designated targets were hit.

The strikes reportedly followed an earlier incident in which Ukrainian forces attacked a college building and dormitory in Starobilsk, located in the Russia-controlled part of the Luhansk region. Local authorities said that search and rescue operations had been completed and that the death toll from that attack had reached 21.

Separately, Russian officials highlighted that dozens of foreign journalists from multiple countries were taken to Starobilsk following the incident, with media representatives from across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas reportedly participating. Some outlets declined or were unable to attend the trip.

On the Ukrainian side, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on social media that a building belonging to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry had been damaged during overnight Russian strikes, underscoring the continuing impact of the attacks on government infrastructure.

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