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Drone War Escalates as Zelensky Says Russia Is Hitting Energy to 'Sow Chaos'

Ukrainian deep strikes on refineries are eroding Russian fuel output, turning drones into economic leverage.

Overview

  • Russia reported intercepting 209 Ukrainian drones in one night across regions including Kursk, Belgorod and Nizhny Novgorod, after claiming more than 250 the previous day.
  • Ukraine's campaign against Russian energy infrastructure reached deep targets such as Tyumen and struck facilities in Volgograd, with analysts estimating roughly a 10% drop in refinery throughput since summer.
  • IAEA experts recorded artillery fire about 1.25 km from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, and the agency reported no nuclear‑safety impact after Rosenergoatom said a drone hit a cooling tower area at Novovoronezh.
  • Civilian deaths were reported on both sides, with four killed in Russian‑occupied Kherson in an attack attributed to Ukraine and three killed in Ukraine’s Sumy region in Russian drone strikes.
  • European responses accelerated, as Ursula von der Leyen pressed for a continent‑wide anti‑drone "wall" and Germany moved to authorize police shoot‑downs and set up a national anti‑drone center.