Russia announced on Sunday that it will “intensify” its strikes against Ukraine, citing a response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s pledge to escalate attacks on Russian oil refineries.
In a statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said it would target “military and industrial facilities, as well as the infrastructure connected to them, in Kyiv and other regions of Ukraine.”
Zelensky Promises More Attacks on Russian Refineries
The Kremlin’s threat came after Zelensky vowed to increase Kyiv’s attacks on Russian refineries, which Moscow has used to fund its war effort. Russia, in turn, has been bombarding Ukraine’s energy and civilian infrastructure on a daily basis.
German Chancellor Makes Surprise Visit to Kyiv
The escalation was announced as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz carried out a surprise visit to Kyiv on Sunday. The Ukrainian capital was hit by a drone strike the same day.
In recent days, two of the eight bridges spanning the Dnieper River in Kyiv have been targeted by Russian jet-powered drones, which are difficult to intercept and have caused massive traffic jams across the city.
Ukraine Braces for Harsh Winter
The renewed Russian threats come as Ukraine prepares for what officials describe as the most difficult winter since the start of the war, with critical shortages of air defense systems leaving civilian infrastructure vulnerable to continued bombardment.
