Ukraine reports broadest Russian shelling attack this year

KYIV: Ukraine said on Wednesday that Russia had shelled more than 100 settlements over the last 24 hours — more than in any single day so far this year.

Moscow has fired millions of artillery shells on Ukrainian cities, towns and villages along the frontlines since it launched its offensive last February, reducing several across the eastern part of the country to rubble.

“Over the last 24 hours, the enemy shelled 118 settlements in 10 regions. This is the highest number of cities and villages that have come under attack since the start of the year,” Ukrainian Interior Minister Oleg Klymenko said in a post on social media.

Kyiv also reported a Russian attack on an oil refinery in Kremenchuk, a central industrial city.

There were no casualties, but it took almost 100 firefighters several hours to put out the resulting blaze, Klymenko said.

Kyiv and the West fear Russia will escalate their attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure ahead of the cold winter — as Moscow did last year.

The overnight shelling in the northeastern Kharkiv region killed one person, and another was killed in the southern Kherson region, local officials said.

Ukraine’s air force also said Wednesday it shot down 18 of 20 Russian drones that were launched overnight, while Russia’s defence ministry said it shot down two Ukrainian drones over the Bryansk and Kursk regions, which border Ukraine.