The stalled war in Ukraine is showing signs of reigniting. Amid increasingly sophisticated Ukrainian drone attacks, Ukraine has unleashed airstrikes on Russia, while Russia has signaled plans to target Ukraine's defense industry facilities.
Ukraine's General Staff said it had struck military infrastructure in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region the previous day with Storm Shadow cruise missiles, the Kyiv Independent reported on November 26 local time.
In a statement, the General Staff said it had "successfully destroyed the enemy's critical command, control and communication hubs in the temporarily occupied territory of Luhansk."
On the same day, Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that "Russian Federation forces have begun continuous and systematic strikes against Ukrainian defense industry enterprises in Kyiv, particularly facilities involved in drone design, manufacturing, programming and operational preparation."
The ministry stressed that the attacks would specifically target Ukrainian military command centers. It added, "We recommend that foreigners working at diplomatic missions and international organizations leave the city as soon as possible," and "We strongly urge residents of the Ukrainian capital to stay away from the military and administrative infrastructure of the Volodymyr Zelensky regime." In response, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on allies "not to give in to Russia's blackmail."
Russia has been carrying out large-scale airstrikes against Ukraine since November 24. According to The Guardian, Russia launched its new Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) at Bila Tserkva, a city near Kyiv, killing at least four people and wounding about 100.
Russia claims the strikes are retaliation for a Ukrainian drone attack on Luhansk National Pedagogical University on November 22. The Russian Foreign Ministry said, "(The attack) demonstrates the Nazi and terrorist nature of the Kyiv regime," adding, "We have lost patience with this entire situation." However, some observers remain skeptical of Russia's military capabilities, with suggestions that the Oreshnik missile may have missed its target by as much as 80 kilometers.
