The Russian Ministry of Defence has declared its intention to prepare for large-scale strikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, framing the potential attacks as direct retaliation for what Moscow describes as ongoing assaults on Russian civilian facilities and fuel depots. This announcement immediately revives concerns reminiscent of last winter’s devastating campaign, when systematic bombardment of Ukrainian power plants left millions grappling with sub-zero temperatures without heat or electricity. The declaration comes as both nations have significantly intensified long-range strikes over recent months, targeting a range of facilities from warehouses and refineries to ports and ships, with a noticeable rise in civilian casualties on both sides.
This latest development follows a particularly deadly incident near Kyiv, where a Russian drone strike on an ammunition depot in the village of Myla, located in the Bucha district, has seen the death toll climb to 38. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the rising fatalities on Sunday, also reporting 20 injured individuals and four still missing. The strike triggered a massive primary detonation followed by secondary explosions, sending flames into nearby residential areas and damaging approximately 50 buildings. More than 380 residents were evacuated, and Taras Didych, the mayor of the adjacent village of Dmytrivka, was among the deceased. This event stands as one of the most severe single incidents in Kyiv’s suburbs since Russia’s full-scale invasion began more than four years ago. Ukrainian prosecutors have initiated a criminal negligence investigation to determine why explosives were stored in such close proximity to civilian homes.
The Myla attack capped a third consecutive day of Russian aerial bombardment, marking one of the most sustained offensives since the spring. Russia’s military also claimed responsibility for striking a cement and asbestos plant in Kyiv on Sunday, asserting that its warehouses were being used for storing explosives, alongside a site for drone and munitions manufacturing. The Ukrainian air force reported that between late Saturday and early Sunday, Russia launched two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 130 drones of various types across the country.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has continued its own targeting of Russian infrastructure. Drones struck an oil refinery in northwestern Russia, sparking a fire, according to local Russian authorities. The Kirishi oil refinery, situated in Russia’s Leningrad region, holds significant strategic importance as the country’s second-largest production plant. It possesses the capacity to process approximately 20 million tonnes of crude oil annually, producing essential fuels like jet fuel and diesel. Kyiv has increasingly focused its strategy on Russia’s energy and oil infrastructure, including refineries, pumping stations, and storage depots, a move Ukrainian officials state is designed to exert economic pressure on Moscow to bring an end to the ongoing conflict. The escalating tit-for-tat attacks underscore a dangerous phase in the war, where critical infrastructure on both sides remains a primary target.
