• Ukraine launched waves of drone and missile attacks deep inside Russia.

• It will be a week before President-elect Trump is sworn in.

• Both Ukraine and Russia have stepped up their attacks ahead of Trump’s second term.

Ukraine has hit targets deep inside Russia with missiles and drones in one of its biggest recent attacks as Donald Trump prepares to begin his second term as president next week.

The attacks were carried out on January 13 and 14 against industrial and military targets up to 680 miles into Russia in Bryansk, Saratov and Tula oblasts and the Republic of Tatarstan, Ukrainian officials said.

The targets attacked included an oil refinery near Engels in Saratov Oblast that supplies fuel for the strategic bombers and a chemical plant in Bryansk that supplies material for missile systems, the officials said.

The Russian Defense Ministry said it had identified the missiles used and said they were among the most modern sent to Ukraine: the British-French Storm Shadow missiles and the US ATACMS.

It was said that 146 drones were also involved in the attack.

On Monday, Russia launched drone and missile strikes on energy infrastructure targets across Ukraine.

Both the Ukrainian and Russian militaries said they intercepted most of the missiles, a claim that could not be verified.

The Ukrainian is tantamount to a show of strength just before President-elect Donald Trump begins his second term in office on Monday.

Trump has sharply criticized Ukraine’s attacks on Russia and President Joe Biden for allowing the use of US weapons.

In an interview with Time magazine in December, he said: “It’s crazy what’s happening. It’s crazy. I vehemently oppose sending missiles hundreds of kilometers into Russia. Why are we doing this? We’re just escalating this war and making it worse.” This shouldn’t have happened.”

Trump officials have suggested that Ukraine could be forced to cede some territory currently occupied by Russia as part of a peace deal.

Former British Foreign Secretary William Hague analyzed the moves on Tuesday to Times Radio, saying both sides were trying to “position themselves” for a new Trump administration.

“The Russians tried to conquer more territory. The Ukrainians fought back harder to secure their positions,” Hague said.

In the run-up to Trump’s inauguration, fighting between Russia and Ukraine intensified.

Ukraine has attacked sites in Russia with missiles and drones, and Russia has made important progress on the front line in eastern Ukraine.

They have also stepped up efforts to expel Ukrainian troops from Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukraine still holds territory.

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