Ukraine Vows New Strikes Inside Russia After Massive Drone Attack

Ukraine has announced plans to carry out new strikes deep into Russian territory following a wave of overnight drone attacks that cut power to 60,000 people across the country. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed the decision on Sunday after meeting with his top commander, Oleksandr Syrskii, stressing that Ukraine would respond to Moscow’s growing assaults on energy and civilian infrastructure.

In recent weeks, both Kyiv and Moscow have escalated their air campaigns. Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid, transportation network, and major cities, while Ukraine has targeted oil refineries and pipelines inside Russia.

According to private energy company DTEK, Russian drones struck four facilities in Ukraine’s Odesa region overnight, leaving 29,000 people without electricity. Chornomorsk, a port city near Odesa, was the hardest hit, with one reported injury and vital infrastructure now relying on generators, said regional Governor Oleh Kiper. Ukraine’s military reported that Russia launched 142 drones in total, with 132 intercepted.

On the other side, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Sunday that its forces had downed 112 Ukrainian drones within 24 hours.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov shifted blame to Europe, accusing the EU of prolonging the war and obstructing peace efforts proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. His remarks followed a recent Russian strike in Kyiv that killed at least 23 people and damaged EU diplomatic facilities.

As diplomatic pressure mounts, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that the war, now stretching into its fourth year, could drag on for a long time. He insisted that peace negotiations must not come at the cost of Ukraine surrendering.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, speaking from Poland alongside Prime Minister Donald Tusk, branded Vladimir Putin a “predator” who could only be restrained through strong deterrence. She also pledged additional EU funding for border states facing direct threats from Russia and Belarus, calling border defense a “shared responsibility.”

Meanwhile, Russia continues to inflate its battlefield claims. General Valery Gerasimov asserted that Russian forces had captured 3,500 square kilometers and 149 settlements since March. However, the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War disputed these figures, saying Moscow exaggerated its territorial gains by about 1,200 square kilometers and 19 settlements.