KYIV, Ukraine — Reports have emerged of Ukrainian drone attacks in southern Russia resulting in the tragic death of a 9-year-old boy and a significant fire at a key oil terminal. This news comes in the wake of a substantial air assault by Moscow on Ukraine, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy characterized as one of the most intense bombardments aimed at the country’s energy sector throughout the nearly three-year conflict.
According to local authorities, the young boy lost his life when a drone struck his family’s residence in Belgorod, a city that lies close to the Ukrainian border. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov shared the heartbreaking incident on the Telegram messaging platform, revealing that the child’s mother and their 7-month-old sister sustained injuries and were subsequently hospitalized.
Gladkov also shared images depicting the destruction caused by the attack, which showed a modest home with significant damage to its roof and front wall, surrounded by debris.
In a separate incident, Ukrainian drones targeted a major fuel terminal in the Oryol region of southern Russia overnight, igniting a fire at the facility. The General Staff of Ukraine confirmed the attack, while photographs circulated on Russian Telegram news channels displayed massive smoke clouds rising from the site, illuminated by flames.
Oryol Governor Andrey Klychkov corroborated that a drone strike had resulted in the fire at a fuel depot, adding that the blaze had been controlled and fortunately, no casualties were reported.
On the other hand, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed they successfully intercepted 37 Ukrainian drones over the southern and western regions of the country during the same timeframe.
The Ukrainian strikes transpired just a day after Russia unleashed a barrage of 93 cruise and ballistic missiles along with nearly 200 drones targeting Ukraine, which further degraded the country’s energy infrastructure, approximately half of which has been incapacitated during the ongoing conflict. The persistent electricity blackouts have become a frequent reality for many, leading President Zelenskyy to accuse Moscow of “terrorizing millions” through these relentless attacks.
Ukraine’s air force indicated that on Saturday, Russia continued its drone offensives, launching 132 drones across Ukrainian territory. They managed to shoot down 58 of these drones, while another 72 likely veered off course amid electronic jamming efforts. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that their forces employed long-range precision missiles and drones targeting “critically important fuel and energy facilities” sustaining the military-industrial complex in Ukraine, a response to a Ukrainian strike earlier connecting to U.S.-provided Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMs) aimed at a Russian air base.
Kyiv’s partners in the West have equipped Ukraine with air defense systems to safeguard its critical infrastructure. However, Russia has attempted to overwhelm these air defense measures through extensive missile and drone assaults coordinated as “swarms.” Throughout the year, Russia has maintained the offensive, gradually making advancements through Ukrainian defenses in the eastern regions.
Looking ahead, the future of the war remains uncertain. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, set to take office next month, has expressed intentions to bring the conflict to a close and raised questions about the continuity of essential U.S. military assistance for Ukraine.
In an additional development, Zelenskyy addressed the deployment of what he described as a “significant number” of North Korean troops by Moscow to assist in operations in the Kursk region. This area has remained under Ukrainian control following a remarkable cross-border incursion during the summer. He noted that, so far, North Korean soldiers have not engaged on Ukrainian territory but are reportedly incurring “noticeable” losses.
Ukrainian authorities also reported having observed that Russian shelling on Friday and overnight resulted in the deaths of at least two civilians and injuries to 14 others in frontline areas located in southern and northeastern Ukraine.