MOSCOW: Russia said Friday that its recent strikes on Ukraine were a “response” to Ukrainian attacks on its energy sector, which Kyiv has frequently targeted in drone attacks.

Moscow has launched almost daily strikes on Ukraine’s power grid since late March, repeating its campaign of aerial bombardment that plunged millions into darkness in 2022 and early 2023.

The Russian defence ministry said it had carried out 39 strikes against Ukraine since March 31 “in response to attempts by the Kyiv regime to damage facilities in the oil and gas and energy sectors of Russia”.

It said the strikes targeted Ukraine’s energy sector and fuel depots as well as “enterprises of the military-industrial complex” and air defences.

Kremlin says Russia and NATO are now in ‘rect confrontation’

Ukraine has fired dozens of drones at Russian energy facilities including oil refineries since the conflict began, sometimes hundreds of kilometres from the border.

Russian strikes on Ukraine’s power stations since late March have caused “billions” of dollars in damage and prompted emergency blackouts in several regions.

Separately, Moscow’s defence ministry said it had captured Vodiane, a village about five kilometres (three miles) northwest of Donetsk city in eastern Ukraine.

Moscow has made multiple gains on the eastern front in recent months as Ukraine faces ammunition shortages and hold-ups to aid from its biggest ally Washington.