Russia launched a barrage of drones and missiles on Ukraine on Saturday, killing 15 people and damaging dozens of residential buildings as well as energy infrastructure across the country, Ukrainian officials said.

Russia’s air defences reportedly destroyed drones over nine regions, including 11 over Smolensk, which sits on the border with Belarus. Nearly half were hit over Kursk, where Ukrainian troops have occupied several villages for months following an incursion.

A new drone bomber may have joined Ukraine’s escalating assault on Russia’s oil industry. On Wednesday night or early Thursday morning, drones operated by the Ukrainian 14th Separate Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Regiment struck a pumping station on the Druzhba pipeline along the Russian-Belarusian border in Bryansk Oblast.

Drone strikes were reported across multiple Russian regions, including Nizhny Novgorod, Smolensk, Tver, and Bryansk, igniting fires and triggering air defence responses. While there were no reported casualties, an oil refinery in the city of Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod, suffered significant damage.

In December, Ukrainian drones targeted oil depots and refineries in Smolensk, Oryol, Bryansk and Rostov — an area that had previously been targeted in July. The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces claimed that the July attack on the Rostov refinery destroyed 1.5 million tons of oil and oil products worth $540 million (£433m).

Ukraine's drone strikes on Russian energy facilities cause significant damage and service disruptions, impacting airport operations.- Watch Video on English Oneindia

Russia launched 112 Shahed attack drones and decoy UAVs of various types against Ukraine on the night of 6-7 February. Ukrainian air defence has managed to down 81 drones, while 31 failed to reach their targets.

One dead and one seriously injured by a Russian missile in Odesa. As 1,079 days of war in Ukraine are reached, Kiev continues to attack Russian strategic infrastructures. This morning, a missile was launched against an aerodrome from where the Russian Army regularly launches drones into Ukrainian territory.