Ukraine Deep Strikes Into Russia, Sloviansk Hit

A Russian airstrike on the Sloviansk Thermal Power Plant in eastern Ukraine killed two plant workers, Serhii Dyachenko and Mykhailo Hryhoriev, and hospitalized five others, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, calling the attack “strictly terror.” At the same time, Ukraine has stepped up deep‑strike operations inside Russia using drones and covert strikes; SBU head Vasyl Maliuk said Kyiv carried out nearly 160 successful strikes on Russian oil extraction and refining facilities in 2025, degrading refining capacity and contributing to fuel shortages. Ukrainian-linked attacks reportedly disabled the Koltsevoy fuel‑pipeline ring near Moscow, left parts of Zhukovsky without power and briefly closed airports in five Russian cities, while Russian authorities said dozens of drones were shot down. Kyiv officials and commanders say the campaign relies on domestically produced drones, deep‑strike units, special forces and helicopters and warned of further operations that could cause blackouts and worsen fuel scarcity; Moscow has moved to ban gasoline exports. The reciprocal strikes on fuel and power infrastructure have intensified an infrastructure‑centric phase of the war, increasing civilian risk and straining logistics and energy networks on both sides.