Ukraine drone strikes hit Russian plant; retaliation kills three civilians

Ukraine launched coordinated drone operations against Russian industrial targets in Omsk, striking a petrochemical plant and an Ozon logistics warehouse, according to reports on Wednesday. The strikes represent an escalation in Ukraine's campaign against Russian infrastructure supporting military operations.

In response, Russian forces conducted drone attacks on Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region, resulting in at least three civilian deaths and several injuries, witnesses and officials said. The strikes on civilian areas marked the latest cycle of tit-for-tat aerial assaults that have characterized the conflict in recent weeks.

The cross-border exchanges also triggered widespread power outages across Crimea and Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine, leaving thousands without electricity. Ukrainian authorities reported that power distribution networks had been damaged in the strikes, forcing engineers to undertake restoration work across affected regions.

Civilian populations in both countries have borne the brunt of the intensifying drone warfare, which has shifted focus to infrastructure targets. Authorities in Ukraine said restoration efforts were proceeding, though temporary power cuts were expected to persist in some areas as repair teams addressed damage to the electrical grid.