Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicates that Russia intends to retaliate against recent Ukrainian assaults when deemed appropriate by its military.
In a tragic incident, a Russian drone strike in Pryluky, located in the Chernihiv region, has resulted in the deaths of five individuals, including three members of the same family, according to Ukrainian officials.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko stated on Thursday morning that the strike took the lives of a local first responder’s wife, daughter, and their one-year-old grandson.
Regional Governor Viacheslav Chaus confirmed that these individuals were among five victims from the drone assault, which involved six drones targeting the town overnight.
Additionally, six others were hospitalized due to the attack, he noted.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strikes, accusing Moscow of “continuously seeking time to perpetuate its aggression.”
“When the world doesn’t respond strongly enough to their actions, they strike again,” Zelenskyy stated on X.
Zelenskyy reported that overnight assaults involved 103 drones and a ballistic missile, targeting regions including Donetsk, Kharkiv, Odesa, Sumy, Chernihiv, Dnipro, and Kherson.
He urged for stringent sanctions and unified international pressure, calling for action from the United States, Europe, and any global partners who can influence these dire situations.
In Kharkiv, 18 individuals were injured, including four children, as a result of another drone attack, according to Klymenko.
Local resident Anastasiia Meleshchenk recounted the chaos, explaining how a drone struck her neighbor’s apartment, prompting her to flee with her child. “Just the day before, repairs had been completed in my apartment from the last attack,” she remarked.
No immediate response was received from Russian officials.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military claimed it hit missile systems in the Bryansk region, which were allegedly poised to launch attacks against Ukraine.
Russia’s Commitment to Retaliate
These recent attacks follow a Ukrainian operation targeting four Russian military airfields in Siberia and the Far North, executed using 117 drones in a mission called “Spider’s Web.”
Russia has accused Ukraine of destroying rail bridges in the southern region, resulting in seven fatalities.
Peskov reiterated on Thursday that Russia would respond to Ukrainian actions when its military finds it appropriate.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov claimed that damaged warplanes would be repaired despite the attacks. U.S. officials indicated that around 20 warplanes sustained damage, with roughly 10 reportedly destroyed.
Despite ongoing direct talks in Turkiye aimed at ending the conflict, hostilities and aerial assaults have notably intensified in recent weeks.
Reporting from Kyiv, Al Jazeera’s John Hendren noted that the U.S. embassy has warned American citizens in Ukraine to expect significant strikes. He also mentioned a conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which Trump suggested that retaliation for strikes on Russian airfields would be necessary.