Ukraine attacks Russia overnight, launching the largest war attack to date

At least nine airports in central and western Russia temporarily halted traffic, while strikes prompted school closures in the southwestern Saratov region.

The strikes in the border region of Bryansk caused explosions at a refinery, ammunition depots and a chemical plant said to produce gunpowder and explosives, a Ukrainian security source told the BBC.

But Kiev also struck far deeper into the country, with the General Staff claiming to have hit targets up to 1,100 km (700 miles) from the border.

In the western Saratov region, officials reported a “massive” drone strike.

Two industrial plants in the cities of Engels and Saratov were damaged, regional governor Roman V. Busargin wrote on Telegram.

Students had classes online on Tuesday after local schools were closed.

Last week, Kiev said it had hit an oil storage facility in Engels – prompting days of efforts to tackle the blaze and Busgarin declaring a state of emergency.

Officials in the western Tula region also reported an attack overnight, where regional governor Dmitry V. Milyaev Russian said air defenses shot down 16 drones.

There were no casualties, he said, although falling debris damaged some cars and buildings.

Elsewhere, a gas storage facility near Kazan was hit in a drone strike in the southwestern region of Tatarstan, local officials said, without reporting casualties.

Moscow also launched dozens of drones across Ukraine overnight, with multiple air strikes in and around Kyiv.

Ukraine’s air force said it shot down about 60 of the 80 drones involved in the attack, with no casualties.