Russia Retaliates with Airstrikes on Ukraine Following Cross-Border Raids

Following alleged “terrorist” raids by Kiev deep inside Russia, the Russian military launched a series of strikes targeting Ukrainian military-related infrastructure. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the attacks, stating they were in response to actions by the Kiev regime. The strikes employed long-range precision weapons, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and drones, hitting industrial enterprises involved in drone and military equipment production, a military airfield, and an oil refinery. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the attacks as some of the largest the country has faced, mentioning damage across multiple regions and the loss of a Western-supplied F-16 fighter jet. Moscow maintained the strikes were solely aimed at military targets, while also reporting downing numerous Ukrainian drones over Russian territory.