Ukrainians hit Russian targets deep behind enemy lines

Ukraine found a way to hit deep behind enemy lines with a series of mysterious explosions in Russian-held territory early Wednesday, even as Ukrainians themselves were warned that Moscow appears poised to unleash a new barrage of attacks.

Half a year after the southern port city of Mariupol fell to a fierce Russian siege, nearly a dozen explosions were reported there overnight into Wednesday. Russian-occupied areas of the Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson regions were also hit, according to reports and video.

What targets were struck was perhaps less intriguing than how Ukrainian forces had managed to hit them.

After taking control of Mariupol in the spring, Moscow gradually turned the city into a major garrison, apparently because it was thought to be out of the range of powerful U.S.provided missiles in the nearest Ukrainian stronghold, near the ruined mining town of Vuhledar.

But at least 11 explosions were reported Wednesday by the exiled City Council. One of them destroyed a Russian ammunition warehouse in the district near the airport, the council said.

It was not the first time explosions have been reported deep behind enemy lines during the war, but questions swirled Wednesday

about what had happened. In the past, the Ukrainians have used drones, special operators working behind enemy lines and a vast network of partisans loyal to Kyiv to wage war on the occupiers.

The Ukrainian General Staff said only that Ukraine's air force had launched eight attacks on the temporary bases of Russian troops and two strikes on the positions of Russia's anti-aircraft missile systems.

For Moscow's part, the Russian-appointed local administrator in Mariupol claimed that everything was fine and said Russian air defenses had shot down two Ukrainian drones attacking the city overnight.

Explosions also sounded Wednesday in Kharkiv, a Ukrainian city still under government control, as the authorities issued nationwide air alerts and warnings that Russia was planning a large-scale missile barrage timed to Friday's anniversary of its invasion.

In Kharkiv, a half-dozen thunderous booms echoed through the city shortly before 11 a.m. It was not immediately clear what was hit. A few minutes later, an air alert was canceled.

There was no way to know whether the volley of missiles that hit the city was a prelude to a larger attack or simply more of the same. The city lies near the Russian border, and it is often struck by shorter-range missiles that cannot reach more distant cities such as Kyiv, the capital.