(KYIV, UKRAINE) – Ukrainian security services have claimed responsibility for the longest range strike yet against Russian oil and gas infrastructure since the start of Russia’s full scale invasion, with drones and missiles reportedly travelling almost 2,000 kilometres into Russian territory.
The claim was made during a recent episode of Ukraine: The Latest, produced by The Telegraph, which analysed the latest military, political and diplomatic developments in the war.
According to Ukrainian officials, the strike targeted facilities in Russia’s Komi Republic, including a major oil refinery linked to Lukoil, triggering a large fire. The attack is believed to be the deepest Ukrainian strike inside Russia since February 2022.
Ukrainian sources said the operation was carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine and marked a significant expansion of Kyiv’s long range capabilities. Earlier in the week, drones had also struck energy facilities in Russia’s Volga region.
In a separate attack, Ukrainian forces reportedly hit a major ammunition storage facility near Kotluban in Russia’s Volgograd region. The site is believed to be one of the largest depots used by the Russian army.
Local authorities in Russia confirmed explosions and secondary detonations and announced the evacuation of nearby residents. Regional officials said no civilian casualties had been reported.
Further strikes were reported at a defence plant in Tambov Oblast, which produces equipment for aviation and missile systems. Two people were injured in that attack, according to local officials.
Inside Ukraine, military movements remained limited. Ukrainian forces said they had cleared Russian troops from several small settlements in Kharkiv region and conducted operations to remove infiltration groups in the south.
However, fighting continued around Lyman in eastern Ukraine, where Russian forces were reported to be applying pressure from several directions.
Ukraine’s General Staff reported around 770 Russian casualties in one day, including those killed, wounded, missing or captured. Officials also said more than 1,400 Russian drones were intercepted in the same period, underlining the scale of aerial activity along the front line.
Western analysts cited by the Financial Times said that at least 325,000 Russian soldiers may have been killed since the start of the invasion. They added that Russian recruitment levels are roughly matching monthly losses, contributing to the current stalemate.
Michael Kofman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said Russia’s strategy of sustained pressure had failed to deliver major breakthroughs and was unlikely to change the overall balance of the war.
The lack of progress on the ground has coincided with intensified Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities.
Overnight strikes targeted Kyiv, Dnipro, Odesa and Kharkiv, with Ukraine’s air force reporting the launch of ballistic missiles, guided missiles and more than 200 drones.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the main target was once again Ukraine’s energy system. Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, said more than 100,000 residents in Kyiv were temporarily left without electricity.
In Kharkiv, a man was injured while escaping a burning apartment, while in Dnipro several thousand residents lost heating supplies and two children were wounded.
Meanwhile, defence ministers and officials gathered in Brussels for meetings of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Ukraine Defence Contact Group to discuss further military assistance and European security.
The United Kingdom announced a new contribution of £150 million, equivalent to about $190 million, to a multinational fund supporting Ukraine’s defence needs. London also pledged around £400 million, or approximately $505 million, in additional air defence missiles.
Together, the package amounts to about £550 million, or roughly $695 million, making it one of the UK’s largest recent commitments.
British Defence Secretary John Healey said the funding demonstrated Britain’s commitment to European security and support for Ukraine. Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov welcomed the assistance, saying it would help protect homes and critical infrastructure.
Officials said more NATO members were expected to announce further contributions in the coming days.
Discussions in Brussels also focused on long term defence production and shortages in European weapons stocks. German officials acknowledged gaps in supplies, prompting renewed debate over the pace of rearmament.
At the same time, diplomatic efforts continued to explore the possibility of renewed talks between Ukraine and Russia, with potential meetings discussed for later in February. Ukrainian officials said Moscow had not responded to proposals for an energy ceasefire.
In domestic developments, Ukraine’s parliament postponed votes after several lawmakers fell ill, with officials saying the outbreak was likely seasonal.
The Security Service of Ukraine also issued warnings to mobile phone users about Russian attempts to recruit civilians to register satellite internet terminals for military use.
Alongside military and diplomatic developments, controversy has continued at the Winter Olympics in Italy.
Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified after refusing to remove a “Helmet of Memory” displaying images of athletes killed in the war.
The International Olympic Committee said the helmet violated rules banning political gestures during competition. Ukrainian officials rejected that argument, saying the helmet was a personal act of remembrance.
President Zelensky accused the IOC of favouring aggressors and called for stricter measures against Russian athletes competing as neutrals.
Following criticism, the IOC later said Heraskevych would be allowed to remain at the Games but would not be reinstated in the competition.
The episode has sparked wider debate over whether remembrance can be separated from politics in international sport and whether neutrality is possible during a major European war.
