Moscow: Russia blocks access routes for Western arms supplies

Russia said on Saturday that it has blocked rail routes for the transport of Western weapons, ammunition and reserves into Ukraine.

The Defence Ministry in Moscow did not give details on Saturday of where exactly the rail transport had been blocked.

The news comes only a day after Russia launched a massive missile offensive against Ukraine, once again targeting critical infrastructure.

The daily military bulletin said that all targets had been reached in the "massive strike" with missiles and drones on Friday, though none of the information could be independently verified.

Russia had repeatedly announced that it would destroy all weapons supplied to Ukraine by NATO member states.

"All the targeted objects were hit," said ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov. He said energy infrastructure that supplies the military industry and Ukraine's transport system was destroyed.

The Ukrainian authorities had announced on Friday that there were power cuts in many places after the massive missile and drone attacks on energy facilities.

According to Ukrainian information, however, most of the missiles and drones were shot down by Ukrainian air defence.

Russia has been attacking energy facilities in Ukraine with missiles from bombers and warships since mid-October.

The destroyed infrastructure has caused nationwide power cuts, affecting millions of Ukrainians throughout the winter.