Ukraine carried out “large-scale” drone attacks on several Russian regions overnight, local officials said Tuesday. This appears to be one of the largest recent attacks in Ukraine’s campaign to neutralize Russia’s war machine on its territory.
The attack, which took place mainly in southwestern Russia, was the latest in a series of attacks in which Kiev’s forces have demonstrated their ability to strike deep inside Ukraine despite facing setbacks on their own territory.
Explosions were reported in the Bryansk border region, and drones also targeted areas beyond, including Saratov and Tula in western Russia, regional officials said.
The Ukrainian military had no immediate comment on the attack. But Ukraine’s Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security, a government agency, said seven regions in Russia were attacked and targets included military production plants and oil and gas facilities.
The threat led at least six cities to restrict their airspace on Tuesday morning, according to a statement from Russia’s Federal Aviation Agency. This included the cities of Saratov and Engels, which were attacked throughout the night.
Two industrial plants were damaged, Saratov Region Governor Roman V. Busargin wrote on Telegram. “Today Saratov and Engels suffered a massive UAV attack,” he said, using another name for the drones. “Air defenses eliminated numerous targets.”
This is the second time this week that Engels, home to an airfield for some of Russia’s long-range nuclear-capable bombers, has been attacked. Emergency services only recently extinguished a large fire sparked by a strike on January 8.
Mr. Busargin said schools would be closed and classes in the cities of Engels and Saratov would be held remotely on Tuesday.
Authorities in Russia’s western Tula region similarly confirmed large-scale drone attacks. Regional governor Dmitry V. Milyaev said air defense forces shot down 16 drones, and falling debris damaged some vehicles and buildings. There were no casualties.
And local media in Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan in southwestern Russia, reported that an oil tanker at a liquefied natural gas (LNG) base collided and caused a large fire.
The head of the republic, Rustam N. Minikhanov, wrote on Telegram that firefighters extinguished the fire and that there were no casualties or “significant damage.”
Powerful explosions were reported in the Bryansk border area, which is under more regular attacks. Russian independent media outlet Astra said a chemical plant had been attacked. The report cannot be independently verified.
From the beginning, Kiev’s offensive inside Russia was aimed at limiting Moscow’s ability to attack Ukrainian cities. But in recent weeks they have taken on greater weight. It’s an attempt to provide a boost ahead of President-elect Donald J. Trump’s inauguration next week amid concerns he could undermine U.S. support for Ukraine.
President Trump has pledged to end the war quickly. He did not say what became of him, but many in Ukraine fear he could make concessions to Russian President Vladimir V. Putin, a red line for Kiev.
The Russian military is also staging a show of force ahead of President Trump’s inauguration on Monday. While Kiev’s drones were targeting parts of Russia overnight, Moscow’s military carried out airstrikes in Ukraine, putting much of the country on air raid alert.
Ukraine’s air force said Tuesday morning that nearly 80 drones were involved in the attack, but that 60 were shot down. It added that apartment buildings and vehicles were damaged by downed drones in several areas, but there were no casualties.
Natalia Novosolova and Natalia Vasilyeva contributed to the report.
