At least three people have been killed and more than 30 injured in a “massive” overnight Russian aerial attack on Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed. The attacks hit multiple regions, including residential areas, in what Kyiv describes as a deliberate strategy to “intimidate civilians and destroy our infrastructure.”
Ukraine’s air force reported that Moscow launched 619 drones and missiles in the strike. According to Zelensky, one missile directly hit a residential building, causing significant casualties. Russia, meanwhile, claimed its assault targeted military-industrial facilities using “precision weapons.”
The attacks come amid a rising pattern of cross-border drone strikes. Kyiv has increasingly targeted Russian oil refineries and industrial facilities, crucial to Moscow’s war efforts. In response, Russia reported four deaths in a Ukrainian drone attack on the Saratov region. Ukraine said its drones hit a major oil refinery there and damaged another in the nearby Samara region.
The BBC has not independently verified the claims made by either side, reflecting the difficulty in confirming casualties and damage amid ongoing hostilities.
Earlier this month, a Russian Iskander cruise missile struck Kyiv’s main government building, highlighting the escalating intensity of Moscow’s aerial operations. Recent weeks have seen an uptick in airstrikes, even as Kyiv and its Western allies, including the United States, continue to call for a ceasefire.
Cross-border drone raids have become increasingly prominent. In July, Ukrainian drones temporarily forced the closure of all Moscow airports, showing Kyiv’s growing operational reach.
Meanwhile, tensions in the region continue to rise. A day before the latest Russian attacks, Estonia requested urgent consultations with NATO after Russian jets violated its airspace for 12 minutes before being intercepted.
President Zelensky also announced plans to meet former US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York, following Trump’s recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, which failed to secure a peace agreement.
The war in Ukraine, triggered by Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, shows no signs of slowing, with both sides continuing to escalate attacks and counterattacks.
