Zelensky threatens new operations against Russia in a mutual escalation of drones

In a strong statement today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Ukrainian plans to carry out new strikes deep into Russian territory, affirming the readiness of Ukrainian forces to continue military operations aimed at defending their country.

This statement came after a meeting with the Commander of the Ukrainian Army, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, where Zelensky confirmed via the "X" platform that "the forces and resources are fully ready," noting that the upcoming strikes will target sensitive objectives deep within Russia.

On the other hand, the Russian army announced that it had shot down 112 Ukrainian drones in the past 24 hours.

The drones were destroyed over several Russian regions including Volgograd, Rostov, Belgorod, and Bryansk, and Russian forces targeted strategic infrastructure for military purposes in Ukrainian ports.

In a related context, the Russian news agency "TASS" reported that the Kursk nuclear power plant had restored its operational capacity after the attack carried out by Ukrainian drones, which resulted in the destruction of part of the equipment and reduced the capacity of the third reactor by 50% before it was fully repaired.

On the Ukrainian side, the Ukrainian Air Force announced that air defense forces shot down 126 out of 142 Russian drones that were launched during the intense air attack on northern, southern, and eastern Ukraine in recent hours.

The attack, which used Russian drones of the "Shahed" type and other models, was launched from various Russian regions, including Kursk, Millerovo, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk, as well as the Crimean Peninsula.

The Ukrainian army announced that the attack was successfully repelled by air defenses, electronic warfare units, and Ukrainian drones.

These developments come at a sensitive time, as tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalate with ongoing airstrikes and exchanges of strikes on both Russian and Ukrainian territories.