The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that the massive attack on Ukraine in the early hours of Friday, Dec 13, was a response to Ukraine’s ATACMS strike on a military airfield in Taganrog, some 100 kilometers east of Mariupol, in Russia’s Rostov region.
“On Dec 11, 2024, six ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, manufactured in the United States, were launched from Ukrainian territory at a military airfield near the city of Taganrog,” the Russian Defense Ministry stated in its report.
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It was reported that, in response, Moscow carried out a massive strike on critical fuel and energy infrastructure facilities in Ukraine.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the attack involved high-precision long-range air- and sea-based weapons, as well as combat drones. The targets were facilities supporting Ukraine’s military-industrial complex.
“In response to the use of American long-range weapons, Russian Armed Forces carried out a massive strike using high-precision, long-range air- and sea-based weapons, as well as combat drones, against critical fuel and energy infrastructure facilities in Ukraine that support the operation of its military-industrial complex,” the Kremlin said.
They also added that “the goal of the strike was achieved. All targets were hit.”
The Kremlin announced on Thursday, Dec. 12 that Russia has vowed to respond to a recent Ukrainian strike on a southern airfield using US-supplied ATACMS missiles.
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“A response will follow when and in a manner deemed appropriate. It will definitely happen,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
This statement came a day after Russia’s Defense Ministry warned of “appropriate measures” following Kyiv’s Wednesday morning strike on Taganrog in the Rostov region.
President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that during a massive missile strike on Ukraine on Friday, Dec. 13, Russian forces launched 93 missiles, of which Ukrainian Air Defense Forces intercepted 81.
“Cruise missiles, ballistics. According to preliminary reports, there were 93 missiles, including at least one North Korean missile,” Zelensky wrote. “We managed to shoot down 81 missiles, with 11 cruise missiles intercepted by our F-16s.”
He added that Russia used nearly 200 drones in this assault.
“This was one of the largest-scale strikes on our energy sector. This is Putin’s ‘peaceful’ plan – to destroy everything. This is how he wants ‘negotiations’ – by terrorizing millions of people,” Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian president added that Vladimir Putin shows no limitations in missile range or acquiring components for missile production.
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