Ukraine strikes 16 Russian targets amid nuclear weapon warnings

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukrainian forces struck 16 targets within Russian territory over a 24-hour period. These targets included oil facilities, logistics hubs, airbases, missile units, and military infrastructure.

In Russia, authorities reported that a drone crash in the Lipetsk region killed two people, including a 14-year-old child. Additionally, a massive fire destroyed a 100,000-square-meter supply center belonging to the e-commerce giant Wildberries in the Tambov region. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed its air defense systems intercepted 426 Ukrainian drones during the night.

On the escalatory front, sources close to the Kremlin suggest that Russian officials believe President Vladimir Putin may resort to using tactical nuclear weapons as a last resort. This follows a deadlock in peace negotiations and Moscow's view that Ukrainian strikes are supported by NATO intelligence and weaponry. Meanwhile, China has reportedly sent a direct warning to Russia against the use of tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

In Ukraine, the energy company Naftogaz reported significant damage to a heating and power generation plant in Kherson caused by a Russian aerial bomb. On the ground, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed control over three new settlements in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.