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Russia’s Defence Ministry accused Ukraine on Saturday of escalating attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, despite a US-brokered 30-day moratorium agreed upon by both nations last month, Reuters reported. According to the Russian ministry, Ukrainian forces have launched 14 strikes in the past 24 hours using drones and artillery shells, targeting energy facilities across multiple Russian regions, including Bryansk, Belgorod, Smolensk, Lipetsk, and Voronezh.
In a statement on Telegram, Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed that Ukraine’s attacks on critical infrastructure had intensified, saying the frequency of these strikes had “multiplied” in recent days, the report said. The ministry did not provide details on the extent of the damage caused by the latest wave of attacks.
The Ukrainian authorities, however, have yet to respond to the Russian claims. Kyiv’s military had previously stated on March 18 that it had ceased its strikes on Russian energy infrastructure as part of the temporary ceasefire agreement.
The US-brokered moratorium was meant to be a diplomatic breakthrough in the ongoing conflict, with both Russia and Ukraine agreeing to halt direct attacks on each other’s energy systems. The agreement was part of a wider push by President Donald Trump to help de-escalate the war. Since then, both sides have accused each other of breaching the deal.
Drone Strikes Reported on Industrial Facilities
In addition to the alleged energy infrastructure strikes, Ukrainian drone attacks were also reported on industrial sites in two Russian regions. In the Volga River region of Mordovia, the governor confirmed that a Ukrainian drone strike had targeted an industrial facility in the capital city of Saransk. Russian media outlets identified the target as an optical fibre factory, although further details on the damage were not provided.
Meanwhile, the governor of Samara, another region along the Volga River, reportedly said Ukrainian drones had attacked a factory in the city of Chapaevsk. A source from Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) told Reuters that the target in Chapaevsk was a plant producing industrial explosives, which caused several explosions and fires in the area.
Russian Strikes on Civilians
Meanwhile, the conflict took a tragic turn on Friday when a Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih killed at least 19 people, including nine children, Reuters quoted local officials as saying. The city, which is the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was struck in what Russia’s Defence Ministry described as a targeted military operation aimed at a gathering of Ukrainian troops. The Ukrainian military has rejected this claim, calling it “disinformation.”
Local authorities reported extensive damage to civilian areas, including playgrounds and residential buildings. The strike has heightened tensions, with both sides continuing to accuse each other of violating international law and committing acts of aggression that harm civilians.
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