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Russia strikes Ukrainian energy infrastructure, downs 72 drones, RIA reports
Moscow says war has entered ‘hot phase’ as it claims major drone interceptions and strikes on Ukraine’s energy network.
Russia strikes Ukrainian energy infrastructure, downs 72 drones, RIA reports
Russia struck Ukrainian energy infrastructure, downed 72 drones, RIA reports
October 12, 2025

Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure linked to the country’s military-industrial complex, the Defence Ministry said on Sunday, as tensions rose over a possible US decision to supply long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kiev.

The ministry, cited by RIA news agency, said the attacks targeted energy facilities supporting Ukraine’s war production.

Separately, Interfax reported that Russian air defences had shot down 72 Ukrainian drones in the past 24 hours.

RelatedTRT World - War with Russia could escalate to nuclear conflict, Medvedev warns Europe

Kremlin alarmed by potential US missile transfers

The Kremlin said it was “deeply concerned” about the possibility of the United States providing Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, warning that the conflict had reached a “dramatic” point with escalation “from all sides.”

“The topic of Tomahawks is of extreme concern,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state television. “Now is really a very dramatic moment in terms of tensions escalating from all directions.”

Peskov cautioned that Moscow would treat any Tomahawk launch as a potential nuclear threat. “Just imagine: a long-range missile is launched, and we know that it could be nuclear. What should Russia think? How should it react?” he said.

Tomahawks can strike targets up to 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) away — enough to reach Moscow — and older versions of the missile are capable of carrying nuclear warheads, according to US data.

Putin warns of ‘new stage’ if missiles delivered

President Vladimir Putin earlier this month said the missiles cannot be used without direct US military involvement, warning that any supply to Ukraine would mark a “qualitatively new stage of escalation.”

Washington has not yet announced a final decision. US President Donald Trump said Monday that he would “want to know what Ukraine plans to do with them” before agreeing to provide the missiles, though he added he had “sort of made a decision.

The Financial Times reported on Sunday that the US has quietly helped Ukraine carry out long-range drone strikes on Russian energy facilities for months, providing intelligence to guide route planning, altitude, timing, and mission coordination to evade Russian air defences.

SOURCE:Reuters
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