The Russian Ministry of Defense said that its forces carried out 35 strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities, military equipment factories, railway infrastructure, air defenses, and ammunition stocks. The strikes launched by Moscow during the period from April 20 to 27 came in response to the Kyiv regime's attempts to destroy Russian energy and industrial facilities, the Ministry added in a statement. Ukraine has targeted Russian oil refineries and other facilities in drone attacks in recent weeks, ignoring US requests not to do so. Ukrainian officials said that Russia launched a missile attack on energy facilities in central and western Ukraine on Saturday, to increase pressure on the faltering energy system at a time when the country faces a shortage of air defenses despite the recent breakthrough in efforts to obtain US military aid. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the strikes were carried out using long-range precision weapons launched from the sea and air, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and drones. It also bombed formations of Ukrainian forces, in addition to what it described as foreign mercenaries, the Ministry added. For his part, Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said that the Russian attack on his country's energy sector with up to 34 missiles of various types targeted gas facilities important for European Union supplies. "The main target was the energy sector, numerous facilities in the sector, and both electricity and gas transmission facilities... in particular, gas facilities that are essential to ensure supplies to the European Union", Zelenskiy said in his evening video speech. Source: Qatar News Agency