Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Vladimir Putin was ‘losing the war’ following a massive overnight Ukrainian drone strike that set fire to the major Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez (NORSI) oil refinery in Kstovo, Russia.
Zelenskyy confirmed a separate barrage hit the Kamensky missile manufacturing plant in Russia’s Rostov region near the border. He added overnight attacks by Russian forces left hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians without power.
Dramatic pictures appeared to show multiple fires at the huge Kstovo facility in the Nizhny Novgorod region.
Gleb Nikitin, governor of Nizhny Novgorod, confirmed a massive drone attack involving more than 100 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
‘The intensity of the strikes is very high, and the Russians are seeking to maximally exploit the deficit of ballistic missile interceptors,’ he said in a message shared on Telegram. Russian officials said it had shot down 235 drones launched from Ukraine.
Zelensky said: ‘Russia is losing. We are holding our positions, liberating territory, and ensuring that every day of the war costs the aggressor as much as possible.’
It comes as Russia suffered more casualties last month than at any time since the invasion of Ukraine began began in February, 2022, with Russia 54,400 soldiers killed.
