Ukraine carried out “massive” drone strikes in several Russian regions overnight, local officials said on Tuesday, in what appears to be one of the latest major attacks in Ukraine’s campaign to cripple Russia’s military presence on its territory.
The attack, mainly in south-west Russia, was the latest in a series that showed Ukraine’s ability to attack inside the country, as Kyiv’s military faces challenges on its territory.
Explosions were reported in the border region of Bryansk, and drones also targeted regions beyond Saratov and Tula in western Russia, officials in those areas said.
The Ukrainian military did not immediately comment on the strikes. But Ukraine’s Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security, a government agency, said seven Russian regions were attacked and targets included military production facilities, and oil and gas facilities.
The threat forced at least six cities to restrict their airspace Tuesday morning, according to a statement from Russia’s Federal Aviation Agency. Those included the cities of Saratov and Engels, both of which were attacked in the same night.
Two industrial plants sustained damage, Roman V. Busargin, governor of Saratov region, wrote in Telegram. “Today Saratov and Engels were heavily attacked by UAVs,” he said, using another word for drones. “Air defenses have cleared a number of targets.”
It was the second time in a week that Engels, home to an airfield for some of the Russian military’s long-range, nuclear-capable bombers, has been attacked. Emergency crews recently put out a large fire caused by the Jan. 8 strike.
Mr. Busargin said schools will be closed and classes in Engels and the city of Saratov will be held remotely on Tuesday.
Authorities in the Tula region of western Russia have similarly confirmed what they described as a “massive” drone attack. Dmitry V. Milyaev, the governor of the region, said that the air defense had shot down 16 drones and that falling debris had damaged cars and buildings. There were no injuries.
And local media in Kazan, the capital of the republic of Tatarstan in southwestern Russia, reported that a ship had crashed into a liquefied natural gas facility, sparking a massive fire.
The head of the republic, Rustam N. Minnikhanov, wrote on Telegram that firefighters extinguished the fire and there were no casualties or “major damage.”
In the border region of Bryansk, which is regularly attacked, a powerful explosion was reported. Independent Russian news agency Astra said a chemical plant had been hit; the report could not be independently verified.
From the beginning, Kyiv’s strikes inside Russia were aimed at preventing Moscow’s ability to attack Ukrainian cities. But in recent weeks they have taken on more weight: as an effort to project power before the inauguration of President-elect Donald J. Trump next week, amid concerns he may upset US support for Ukraine.
Mr. Trump vowed to end the war immediately. Although he did not say how, many in Ukraine fear that he may strike a deal with Russian President Vladimir V. Putin who has become red lines in Kyiv.
Before the inauguration of Mr. Trump on Monday, the Russian military has also been showing strength. While drones in Kyiv targeted Russian territory overnight, Moscow’s military was conducting an offensive against Ukraine that has put much of the country under air strike warnings.
The Air Force of Ukraine said that on Tuesday morning there were about 80 planes that were flying but they managed to shoot down 60. Apartment buildings and cars were damaged by drones in many places, he added, but there were no casualties.
Natalia Novosolova again Natalia Vasilyeva reporting contributed.
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