Ukraine has escalated its long-range aerial attacks on Russian military industries and energy facilities, aiming to disrupt Moscow's war revenue and make Russians experience the conflict's impact, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy announced on X, formerly Twitter, that FP-5 Flamingo missiles struck the Titan-Barrikady facility in Volgograd, describing it as a "major industrial complex" involved in producing artillery systems and specialized military equipment, including components for missile launch systems. Ukraine's General Staff stated the facility manufactures equipment for missile systems, such as self-propelled launchers and transport-loading vehicles for the Iskander-M missile system, which Russia frequently uses to strike Ukrainian cities.
Volgograd Governor Andrei Bocharov confirmed an attack on a business in the Krasnooktyabrsky district, reporting that 10 people were wounded and hospitalized. He indicated that production facilities at the site sustained damage but did not name the company.
Ukraine's state security service also reported that Ukrainian forces targeted an oil pumping facility in Russia’s Vladimir region that supplies fuel to Moscow for the second time this month. These strikes followed a significant Ukrainian drone assault targeting a dozen Russian regions, Russian-held Crimea, and surrounding seas, according to Russia's Defense Ministry. Russian air defenses claimed to have intercepted 660 Ukrainian drones.
Zelenskyy previously stated he had ordered a "40-day influence operation," understood as an intensification of attacks, intended to "compel (Russia) to end the war." This comes after U.S.-led peace efforts over the past year have not yielded significant breakthroughs.
Meanwhile, in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region, a 66-year-old man was killed in a Russian drone strike on a private residence, according to regional head Oleh Hryhorov.
Ukraine's strategy of targeting Russian industrial and energy infrastructure is seen by Western officials and analysts as an effort to choke Russian fuel supplies and military deliveries, potentially stalling Moscow's battlefield progress and increasing pressure on President Vladimir Putin.