By Trendsetter Tribune 
Ukraine launched drone strikes on Russian oil rigs in the Caspian Sea following a major Russian bombardment that caused blackouts and heating failures across Kyiv.
Ukraine carried out overnight strikes against three Russian oil rigs operating in the Caspian Sea on Sunday, days after Moscow launched a large-scale bombardment that knocked out heat and power for thousands of residents in Kyiv.
Video released by Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces shows explosive drones flying toward offshore drilling platforms linked to Lukoil, one of Russia’s largest energy companies. The rigs — identified as the V. Filanovsky, Yuri Korchagin, and Valery Graifer — were struck in separate attacks, with explosions visible upon impact.
Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed that the platforms were hit, saying an assessment of the damage was ongoing. Ukrainian officials have argued that offshore energy infrastructure supporting Russia’s economy and military logistics constitutes a legitimate target amid the ongoing war.
The latest strikes appear to be part of Kyiv’s broader campaign to disrupt Russia’s oil and gas sector, which Ukrainian officials say plays a critical role in sustaining Moscow’s military operations. Similar attacks on energy facilities in the Caspian region were reported last month.
In addition to the offshore strikes, Ukrainian drones also targeted the Russian city of Voronezh, located roughly 155 miles from the Ukrainian border. Regional officials said at least 17 drones were intercepted over the city, while one woman was killed and three others were injured.
The Ukrainian operations followed a major Russian assault over the weekend in which hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles were launched across Ukraine. Officials said at least four people were killed in Kyiv during the attack.
Russian forces also deployed their Oreshnik hypersonic missile for the second time during the nearly four-year conflict, a move widely interpreted by analysts as a signal to Ukraine and its Western allies.
The bombardment triggered widespread power outages, with Ukraine’s largest private energy provider reporting that tens of thousands of residents in the capital remained without electricity as of Sunday. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said nearly 6,000 apartment buildings were left without heat as temperatures dropped well below freezing.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strikes, saying the targets had no military value and accusing Russia of deliberately intensifying civilian suffering during extreme winter conditions.