World
The war in Ukraine and its limits
Updated 2h ago
2/5
The war is characterized by a reciprocal escalation of long-range strikes, with Ukraine systematically targeting Russian logistics and energy infrastructure to impose economic costs, while Russia intensifies mass drone and missile attacks to strain Ukrainian air defenses.
Both Ukraine and Russia conducted some of their largest coordinated drone and missile attacks of the year, demonstrating an intensification of reciprocal long-range strikes against energy, logistics, and air defense targets.
State of play
Ukraine's deep-strike campaign has intensified, now systematically targeting Russian oil infrastructure, airbases, and e-commerce logistics hubs deep inside Russia, including the Saratov and Volgograd regions, and three major Bashneft refineries in Ufa. These actions aim to degrade Russia's war-fighting capacity by disrupting fuel production and supply chains, contributing to widespread fuel shortages within Russia. Ukraine has also expanded its long-range operations to include naval drones against Russian vessels in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, and strikes on rail bridges in occupied Crimea to disrupt resupply routes, further widening the 'kill zone' beyond frontline attrition.
Russian Response
Russia continues its attritional strategy with mass drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure, launching one of its most massive drone attacks of the year against Ukraine's energy and air-defense targets. These strikes aim to overload and exhaust Ukrainian air defenses, with Ukrainian authorities reporting civilian casualties. The Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant has lost external electricity supply for the 23rd time due to damage to Ukraine's power infrastructure, underscoring the broader risks of the reciprocal long-range strike campaign for nuclear safety and regional energy stability.
Key events
Full chronicle642
This week
- Ukraine launched one of its largest coordinated drone barrages against Russian oil infrastructure and logistics.
- Russian forces conducted one of their most massive drone attacks of the year against Ukrainian targets.
- Ukrainian drones struck three major Bashneft refineries in Ufa, impacting a significant refining cluster.
- Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant lost external power for the 23rd time due to ongoing attacks on energy grid.
- Ukraine targeted Russian radar systems and rail bridges in Crimea, expanding its deep-strike doctrine.