Russia will intensify strikes on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s pledge to increase attacks on Russian oil refineries, Russia’s Defence Ministry said.

Axar.az reports, citing Reuters, that the ministry said Russian forces would step up strikes on military facilities, defence industry sites and related infrastructure in Kyiv and elsewhere in Ukraine.

"Following Zelensky's statement today, strikes by the armed forces of the Russian Federation on military and military-industrial facilities, as well as related infrastructure in Kyiv and other regions of Ukraine, will be intensified," the Russian Ministry of Defense said.

Zelensky told Reuters that Ukraine would “double down” on attacks against Russian oil refineries in response to Moscow’s intensified air campaign against Ukrainian cities, while stressing that Ukraine would not target civilians.

Russia has recently increased strikes on infrastructure in Kyiv, including bridges across the Dnipro River, disrupting life in the capital ahead of winter.

The Russian Defence Ministry said its strikes were in response to what it described as Ukrainian attacks on civilian targets inside Russia.