What did 5 December 2022 mean for both sides?

What did the events reported on 5 December 2022 show about the war's reach? Looking back from 2026, the day on 6 December 2022 was framed by two developments that had just been reported: strikes deep inside Russia and a fresh wave of missiles against Ukraine.

Russia said a long-range drone attack on its Dyagilevo Air Base and Engels-2 Air Base had killed three servicemen, injured four others and damaged two aircraft. Both sites lie in western Russia, and the claim was part of what were logged as the 2022 Western Russia attacks.

On the same date, Russian forces launched another wave of cruise missile strikes on Ukraine. In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, homes were destroyed and two people were killed. Damage to critical infrastructure caused power outages in many other areas.

Taken together, the reports describe a war in which both sides were striking targets far from the front line. For Ukrainian civilians, the cost was measured in lost homes, lives and electricity supply. For Russia, according to its own account, it was measured in casualties and damaged aircraft at two air bases.