Kiev [Ukraine], May 18: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that the increased range of the latest Ukrainian weapons is significantly altering the course of the four-year-old war.
In his evening video address on Sunday, he noted the impact of the recent attacks on the Russian capital, Moscow, and other targets deep inside Russian territory. "The distance to the targets this time was more than 500 kilometres, and this is significant also because the Moscow region is the most heavily saturated with Russian air defense systems," he said."But Ukrainian long-range steps are already overcoming this. "According to Russian authorities, at least three people were killed near Moscow during massive Ukrainian counter-attacks involving more than 100 drones last night. Moscow's regional governor, Andrei Vorobyov, also reported five people injured. Moscow Mayor Sobyanin said more than 120 drones had been intercepted within 24 hours over the capital alone.
Kiev says the strikes are a response to years of sustained Russian attacks on civilian targets across Ukraine. Russians should now be worrying "about their refineries, their oil facilities and enterprises - not about how to ruin the lives [of people in] other nations," Zelensky said.
"Our long-range capabilities are significantly changing the situation - and, more broadly, the world's perception of Russia's war," he said.
A vehicle depot at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant has been hit by Ukrainian artillery, according to Russian-installed authorities.
The building and several buses parked inside were damaged, but no injuries were reported, the plant's administration said on Sunday. It also claimed that a Ukrainian drone was shot down by air defences while approaching the facility.
There was no immediate comment from the Ukrainian side.
The Zaporizhzhya plant, Europe's largest nuclear power station with six reactors and a capacity of 6,000 megawatts, has been under Russian control since March 2022 and is not currently producing electricity.
Several Ukrainian attempts to retake the site have failed. A team from the International Atomic Energy Agency is permanently stationed at the plant to monitor the situation and help prevent a nuclear accident through its presence.
Source: Qatar Tribune