Russia Says Has Intensified Attacks on Ukraine

Moscow has intensified strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure in response to attacks on Russian-controlled territory, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Monday.

“Against the background of the failure of the so-called ‘counteroffensive’, Kyiv… has focused on carrying out terrorist attacks on civilian infrastructure,” Shoigu said.

“The intensity of our strikes against Ukrainian military facilities.. has been considerably increased,” he added.

Russia said Sunday it downed Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow and the Crimea peninsula it annexed in 2014, the latest in series of attacks on the capital, border regions, and annexed-Crimea.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later said “war is returning to the territory of Russia… this is an inevitable, natural and absolutely fair process.”

Shoigu said the army had taken “additional measures to increase protection against attacks from the air and the sea.”

The Kremlin said the recent drone attack on Moscow was “an act of desperation” by Ukraine due to setbacks on the battlefield.