Ukraine attacks Russia overnight in what it claims is the largest attack of the war so far

Ukraine struck multiple targets in Russia on Tuesday in what it said was the “largest” attack of the war so far.

According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, ammunition depots and chemical plants were attacked in multiple areas, some hundreds of kilometers from the border.

Sources in Ukraine's SBU intelligence agency told the BBC the overnight attack was a “painful blow” to Russia's ability to wage war.

Russia says it was shot down Atacms missiles supplied by the United States and British-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles, and vowed to respond to the attack.

At least nine airports in central and western Russia temporarily halted traffic, while the strike closed schools in the southwestern Saratov region.

Ukrainian security sources told the BBC that the attack in the Bryansk border area caused explosions at an oil refinery, ammunition depot and a chemical plant that allegedly produces gunpowder and explosives.

But Kiev has also launched attacks deeper into the country, with the General Staff claiming to have hit targets within 1,100 kilometers (700 miles) of the border.

In the western region of Saratov, officials reported a “large-scale” drone attack.

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

Students were taught online on Tuesday after local schools closed.

Last week, Kiev said an oil storage facility in Engels had been attacked, triggering days of firefighting operations and Busgalin declared a state of emergency.

Officials in the western Tula region also reported nighttime attacks, with regional governor Dmitry V. Milyaev Russian saying air defense systems shot down 16 drones.

He said there were no casualties, although falling debris damaged some cars and buildings.

Elsewhere, a drone attack hit a natural gas storage facility near Kazan in the southwestern region of Tatarstan, local officials said, but no casualties were reported.

Moscow also launched dozens of drones across Ukraine overnight, and air raid warnings were issued multiple times in Kiev and its surrounding areas.

The Ukrainian Air Force stated that it had shot down about 60 of the 80 drones involved in the attack, causing no casualties.

With a week to go before President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, Ukraine is doing all it can to push back against Russia's military advances there.

Trump has said he is Prepare to meet Vladimir Putin upon his return to the White House.

He expressed doubts about U.S. military and financial support for Kiev and pledged to prioritize negotiations to end the war.

He has not yet made clear how he plans to do that.