Ukraine's Deep Strikes Inside Russia Escalate Nuclear Risk

Ukraine hit a Russian space-industry factory and an oil terminal, and an airbase also came under attack over the weekend. The strikes reached as far as 900 kilometers from Ukraine's border. Moscow formally asked Washington to explain its role. China again warned Moscow against using atomic weapons, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Moscow's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said 600 drones were flying toward the capital region between Saturday evening and 6:30 a.m. Sunday. The mayor said 201 were destroyed over the region, and at least six people were wounded or killed. Both sides have stepped up long-range attacks in recent months. During the raid, a drone set a Wildberries distribution center at Koledino ablaze, about 25 miles south of the Kremlin. Video footage showed a large fire at the complex. Wildberries is Russia's largest online retailer. Ukraine says Wildberries stores military equipment.

The overnight assault is part of a Ukrainian campaign documented by an Associated Press analysis of hundreds of strikes this year. The analysis found attacks concentrated on oil infrastructure, defense manufacturing, air defenses and retail warehouses. According to the analysis, Kyiv ramped up oil-infrastructure strikes to deny the Kremlin revenue and force shortages on ordinary Russians. Defense manufacturing is hit to damage Russia's long-term production capacity, and air defenses are targeted to clear a path for Ukrainian arms. Retail warehouses, a recent addition, bring the effects of the war to the Russian public.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces used Flamingo missiles against the Progress Center in the Samara region, a Roscosmos factory that produces electronics. He also cited strikes on the Savasleyka airbase, where Russian missile carriers are based, and an oil facility in Ust-Luga. The Progress Center sits about 900 kilometers from the border. The airbase and oil facility are roughly 700 and 800 kilometers away. Zelenskyy called the attacks "significant results" from Ukraine's deep-strike program.

Russian state television pundits have discussed the use of tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told state television that Moscow has submitted a series of questions to the State Department, including on intelligence data. Reuters quoted Lavrov as saying Washington is "far more deeply involved" in organizing and executing strikes deep inside Russia than it has acknowledged. The questions, he said, concern intelligence sharing and U.S. involvement in strikes on civilian targets. "We await a response," Lavrov said.

Zelenskyy said China has again told Russia not to consider using a nuclear weapon against Ukraine. The warning repeats Beijing's long-stated opposition to nuclear strikes.