Ukraine experienced a new night of terror caused by Russian drones, which this time targeted the capital, Kiev. Four people have died and at least 27 have been injured in a "massive" Russian attack that affected most districts of the city.
Meanwhile, Moscow claimed to have shot down over 200 Ukrainian drones on its territory. In this attack, mainly targeting southern Russia, the Sheskharis oil refinery, one of the largest in the country located in the Novorossiysk port on the Black Sea, was hit. A civilian ship was also damaged, with three crew members injured.
Russia, which launched a large-scale offensive against Ukraine in 2022, has intensified attacks on Kiev in recent months, focusing on energy facilities, railway systems, and residential areas. On the front line, Russian forces have been advancing for months in eastern Ukraine, trying to take control of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.
Zelenski says Ukraine used "Long Neptune" missiles against targets in Russia overnight
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that his troops successfully used "Long Neptune" cruise missiles against designated targets in Russia overnight, Reuters reports.
"During the night, our warriors successfully used 'Long Neptune' against designated targets on Russian territory, and this is our completely just response to Russia's ongoing terror," Zelensky wrote.
"Ukrainian missiles are achieving increasingly significant and precise results practically every month."
Russian attack targeting electrical infrastructure causes partial power outages in three Ukrainian regions
The Ukrainian Ministry of Energy said on Friday that Russian overnight attacks on energy facilities caused power outages in parts of the Kyiv, Odesa, and Donetsk regions, Reuters reports.
Russian port of Novorossiysk suspends oil exports after Ukrainian attack
The Russian port of Novorossiysk in the Black Sea halted oil exports on Friday after a Ukrainian drone attack, and the Transneft oil pipeline monopoly suspended crude oil supply to that terminal, two industry sources told Reuters. Earlier on Friday, local officials said Ukrainian drones had damaged a docked ship, residential buildings, and an oil depot in Novorossiysk, a key point for Russian oil exports.
Zelenski says Russia launched around 430 drones and 18 missiles tonight
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that Russia had launched around 430 drones and 18 missiles in overnight attacks, Reuters reports.
"This was a deliberately calculated attack to cause maximum harm to people and civilian infrastructure," Zelensky wrote.
"Ukraine is responding to these attacks with long-range force, and the world must stop these attacks on life with sanctions."
Russia claims to have thwarted a Ukrainian plot to assassinate a senior government official
Russia's FSB security service reported on Friday that it had thwarted a Ukrainian plot to assassinate an unidentified senior Russian official and accused Kiev of planning similar attacks elsewhere in the country.
The FSB stated in a release that the Ukrainian plot aimed to kill the official when visiting his family's graves in a Moscow cemetery.
Reuters could not independently verify the FSB's claim, but Ukraine has targeted military officials and other Russian officers within Russia since Moscow sent tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine in February 2022.