Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of aggravating the conflict by initiating long-range strikes on Russian territories. He claimed that Ukraine has aimed to damage Russia’s economy. Putin made these remarks during an interview with Russian journalist Pavel Zarubin.
Following these accusations, Ukraine reported a Russian strike on a busy shopping center in Kryvyi Rih, resulting in the death of 16 people and injuring 140. Ukrainian authorities described the attack as a “double-tap” strategy targeting emergency responders. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, calling it “despicable.”
Amid the escalating situation, Ukraine has increased its drone assaults on Russian infrastructure, including oil refineries and commercial warehouses. These actions aim to pressure Russia’s economy, burdened by heavy defense spending. The presence of drones near the Kremlin and Moscow has posed embarrassing challenges for the Russian administration, with public disapproval of the conflict growing.
In retaliation, Russia intensified missile attacks on Ukraine. The Russian defense ministry stated their targets include Ukraine’s energy and defense sectors. Putin claimed these strikes are more severe than Ukrainian attacks on Russian soil. Recently, Russia targeted the Yuzhny port in Ukraine’s Odesa region, damaging unloading equipment and fuel storage, as confirmed by Odesa’s governor, Oleh Kiper.
On Sunday, Ukraine reported a nationwide Russian drone assault involving 127 drones. Ukrainian defenses intercepted most, but 27 penetrated air defense systems. Ukrainian military also claimed successful strikes on Russian positions in Crimea, including Dzhankoy and Chornomorske, which disrupted key logistical sites. Additionally, Ukraine confirmed damaging a Russian Su-24M jet at the Saky airbase on Thursday.
These developments illustrate the ongoing hostilities and their impact on civilian areas and critical infrastructure. Both nations continue to engage in destructive military actions, with each side accusing the other of targeting civilian areas.