Newsletters
Russia and Ukraine exchanged reports of large-scale overnight attacks on Friday, with Moscow saying its forces intercepted more than 200 Ukrainian drones, while Kyiv reported widespread Russian strikes that killed and injured civilians across several regions, including the capital.
The Russian Defense Ministry said its air defenses downed 216 Ukrainian drones overnight across multiple regions and over the Black Sea.
According to the ministry’s statement, 66 drones were intercepted over the Krasnodar region, 45 over Saratov, 19 over Crimea, and others over Volgograd, Rostov, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Nizhny Novgorod and Orenburg.
A total of 59 drones were destroyed over the Black Sea.
Ukrainian regional officials said Russian attacks involving missiles, drones, artillery and aviation caused casualties and widespread damage.
In the Kherson region, Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the regional administration, said 36 settlements came under fire, leaving one person dead and three injured.
He reported damage to residential areas, critical infrastructure and transport facilities, including private homes, a shop, an administrative building and a trolleybus.
Zaporizhzhia regional governor Ivan Fedorov said Russian forces carried out 731 strikes on 20 settlements, killing four people.
He reported five airstrikes, seven multiple-launch rocket system barrages and more than 400 drone attacks, mostly FPV-type, on towns including Bilenke, Gulyaipole and Mala Tokmachka.
In a separate FPV drone strike in Preobrazhenka, two civilians were killed, marking the second fatal incident in the district that evening.
Ukrainian officials said Kyiv came under heavy missile attack early Friday, triggering fires and significant damage across the city. The State Emergency Service said one person was killed and at least 24 were injured.
Fires and structural damage were reported in Podilskyi, Dnipro, Solomyanskyi and Obolonskyi districts, affecting residential blocks, a school area and a sports facility. More than 40 people were rescued from high-rise buildings.
Local authorities warned residents to remain in shelters until air alerts were lifted, noting that power and water disruptions were possible.
Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least 11 people were injured, including a pregnant woman and a man in critical condition.
Kiev Military Administration chief Tymur Tkachenko said Russian forces targeted residential buildings, causing heavy damage in nearly all districts. He said drones and missiles were used in the attacks, with rescue teams deployed across the city.
Multiple fires were reported after debris struck various locations, including an apartment courtyard and an educational institution’s grounds in the Darnytskyi district.
In Dniprovskyi district, three apartment buildings and a private home were damaged, while fires broke out in open areas. Podilskyi district saw damage to five apartment buildings and a workplace.
Kirovohrad regional head Andriy Raykovych said 16 settlements in the Novoukrainka district were left without electricity after a nighttime strike damaged a power line. Repair teams were working to restore supply.
In the broader Kyiv region, administrator Mykola Kalashnyk reported damage to critical infrastructure and private homes, with at least one civilian injured.
In Bila Tserkva, a 55-year-old man was hospitalized with burns, and several fires were reported in suburban homes.
Both Russia and Ukraine regularly report drone interceptions and cross-border attacks as fighting continues along multiple fronts.
Ukrainian officials say Russia has intensified aerial strikes on cities and infrastructure in recent weeks, while Moscow accuses Kyiv of increasing drone attacks deeper inside Russian territory.
The latest attacks came as European Union pressure on Ukraine over corruption concerns increased, following a major scandal involving the country’s nuclear energy agency.
Brussels urged Kyiv to continue reforms but reiterated support for Ukraine’s defense against Russian attacks.
1 min read
3 min read
