Drones attacked four vessels, including a tanker carrying methanol, in Russia's Taganrog Bay on 11 July, killing one sailor aboard a technical vessel, Rostov Oblast governor Yuri Slyusar wrote on Telegram.

The strike comes as Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russian tankers elsewhere in the region: over five days, strikes hit 48 Russian vessels near Crimea.

The campaign has increasingly targeted tankers, cargo ships, ferries, and other vessels that Ukraine says transport fuel and military supplies sustaining Russian forces after repeated strikes degraded road and rail supply routes to the occupied peninsula.

Casualties and damage

The sailor killed served aboard a technical vessel, Slyusar said. No other injuries were reported.

The four vessels struck were of "various purposes," Slyusar said, and sustained only "minor damage." One of them was a tanker carrying methanol; Slyusar said there was no threat of a leak or spill of the substance.

Air defense response

Air defense units downed more than 15 drones during the attack, according to Slyusar. The strike targeted the city of Taganrog and the Azov and Neklinovsky districts of Rostov Oblast.

Slyusar said drone danger remained active in Rostov Oblast at the time of his post and urged residents to move away from open streets, take shelter indoors, and stay away from windows.

Russian forces struck four Kyiv districts with ballistic missiles overnight on 11 July, injuring at least 10 people, according to Kyiv City Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko and mayor Vitali Klitschko. The first explosions were heard around 03:38, more than a minute and a half before the city's air raid siren sounded at 03:40.

The overnight assault combined ballistic missiles with a large drone swarm, part of a strike pattern that has repeatedly targeted the capital in recent days—including an air raid alert on the night of 8 July that followed at least four explosions. Ukraine's Air Force said interceptors and electronic warfare stopped roughly 90 percent of the drones launched, while none of the ballistic missiles were shot down.

Blasts preceded the official warning

Tkachenko wrote on Telegram: "The enemy is attacking the capital with missiles. Please stay in safe places!" The regional air raid siren followed the city's alert, activating at 03:54.

Monitoring channels said the weapons used were preliminarily identified as Iskander-M ballistic missiles or S-300/S-400 surface-to-air missiles, launched from Russia's Bryansk region. Klitschko later confirmed that the city had been struck by ballistic missiles.

Air Force reports weapon breakdown and interception rate

According to the Air Force, Russia launched six Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles, four Kh-59/69 guided air missiles, two Kh-31 anti-radar missiles, and 121 drones overnight. Two of the four Kh-59/69 missiles were shot down or suppressed, along with 111 of the 121 drones.

All six ballistic missiles, both intercepted guided air missiles that got through, and seven attack drones hit 11 locations, the Air Force said, while debris fell in three additional locations. The fate of the two anti-radar missiles was not reported.

Damage and casualties across four districts

Klitschko detailed the impact by district: "In Sviatoshynskyi district, preliminarily, a hit on a non-residential building. In Darnytskyi, a transformer substation is on fire. In Solomianskyi, a fire in a three-story office building. In Dniprovskyi, a fire on the territory of non-residential development."

The State Emergency Service said 10 people were injured, including an 11-year-old boy. Klitschko said: "Four of the injured are in city hospitals. Others received medical assistance on site."

At least nine civilians were killed and 81 others injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past 24 hours, regional authorities reported on July 8.

Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 54 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type attack drones, and fired four S-300/400 guided missiles.

Air defenses intercepted 34 drones, while another eight were likely used as radar-jamming decoys. Drones struck five locations across the country.

The overnight assault was repelled using aircraft, electronic warfare, mobile fire groups, and missile defense systems, the military said.

In Kharkiv Oblast, one person was killed and 40 others were injured, including three children, as the city of Kharkiv and seven other settlements came under attack, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.

Russian strikes on Zaporizhzhia Oblast injured 20 people and damaged at least 64 houses and apartment buildings, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

In Donetsk Oblast, three civilians were killed — two in Oleksiyevo-Druzhkivka and one in Novotroitske — and 10 more were injured, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin.

In Sumy Oblast, four people were killed and four more injured in Russian strikes, the local administration reported.

One person was killed and four others were injured in Kherson Oblast, where Russian forces hit residential areas and public infrastructure, damaging two apartment buildings and 17 houses, according to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin.

Three people were injured in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, where Russian troops attacked with first-person-view (FPV) drones, Governor Serhii Lysak said.

The wave of attacks follows Russia's ongoing refusal to accept a ceasefire and comes amid rising use of drone and missile strikes against Ukraine's civilian infrastructure.

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Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) identified Russian Armed Forces Major Denis Sheynov as allegedly involved in the July 2024 missile strike on Kyiv's Okhmatdyt children's hospital, HUR reported on July 8.

The strike, which killed two adults and injured at least 34 people, directly hit the country's largest pediatric medical center, where 627 children were receiving treatment at the time.

According to HUR, Sheynov is the head of the special engineering service of the 121st Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment, part of Russia's 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, tasked with executing the strike.

Sheynov, born in Saratov on Jan. 30, 1978, was reportedly responsible for the technical preparation of the X-101 air-launched cruise missiles used in the attack.

He graduated from the Saratov Higher Military Command Engineering School Missile Forces, and previously served in Syria in 2018. Sheynov has been awarded several medals by the Russian government, including for participation in the Syrian war.

Ukrainian authorities previously charged Russian Lieutenant General Sergey Kobylash in absentia for ordering the strike, which was widely condemned internationally.

Kobylash gave the order at around 9:15 a.m., while the hospital was struck at 10:45 a.m.

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The Kyiv IndependentVolodymyr Ivanyshyn

Editor's note: This story was updated with the latest information from the Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office.

Russian drones struck Ukrainian conscription offices in the cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia early on July 7, injuring at least three people in Kharkiv, while also damaging military infrastructure, Ukraine's Ground Forces said. At least one soldier was wounded in Zaporizhzhia.

The attack comes as Russia increases its efforts to disrupt mobilization in Ukraine.

"As a result of the attack, (Russian) drones hit the building of the Kharkiv conscription office and the surrounding area, as well as near the Zaporizhzhia conscription office," the Ground Forces said.

Two other districts of Kharkiv came under attack that same day, in which one woman was killed and over 80 people, including eight children, were reported injured or suffered shock in Kharkiv, according to the local prosecutor's office.

The strikes are the latest in what Ukrainian military officials describe as a deliberate Russian campaign to target enlistment infrastructure and undermine mobilization efforts.

On July 3, a deadly Russian strike on the central city of Poltava killed two people and injured 47 others. The attack caused a fire at the city's military conscription office and heavily damaged nearby civilian buildings, including civilian houses.

Speaking on national television after the Poltava attack, Ukraine's Ground Forces spokesperson Vitalii Sarantsev said Russia was intentionally striking enlistment centers to disrupt Ukraine's ability to replenish its Armed Forces.

"We will continue to strengthen our army, train our troops, and involve more people in defense to deliver a strong response to the enemy," Sarantsev said.

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The Kyiv IndependentChris York

At least 12 civilians were killed and 69 others injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past 24 hours, regional authorities reported on July 7.

Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 101 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type attack drones, as well as four S-300/400 guided missiles. Air defenses intercepted 75 drones, while another 17 likely served as radar-jamming decoys.

The drone and missile assault was countered using aviation, electronic warfare, mobile fire teams, and air defense systems, the military said.

The heaviest casualties occurred in Donetsk Oblast, where seven civilians were killed — four in Kostiantynivka, two in Druzhkivka, and one in Novohryhorivka — and 15 others were injured, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported.

In Kharkiv Oblast, 27 people were injured, including three children, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov. At least three victims remain hospitalized in moderate condition, and the number may rise.

Russian forces also attacked critical and residential infrastructure in Kherson Oblast, killing two civilians and injuring nine, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.

Two more civilians were killed in Sumy Oblast in a drone strike, local authorities said. Another person was injured. In Odesa Oblast, one civilian was killed and infrastructure was damaged in an attack on the regional capital, Governor Oleh Kiper reported.

In Zaporizhzhia, at least 12 people were injured in separate attacks throughout the day, including 10 during a drone strike on the city center, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

Five civilians were injured in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast — two women and three men — in the latest wave of attacks, according to Governor Serhii Lysak.

The mass strikes come amid Russia's continued rejection of ceasefire proposals and its growing use of aerial assaults to pressure Ukrainian defenses.

Kyiv has repeated its urgent appeals to Western partners to ramp up deliveries of air defense systems to protect civilian areas from drone and missile attacks.

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Russian attacks on two towns in Donetsk Oblast left five people dead and another injured on July 6, Governor Vadim Filashkin reported.

Russia attacked the front-line towns of Kostiantynivka and Druzhkivka.

In Kostiantynivka, Russian airstrikes and missile attacks killed four people and injured another person, Filashkin said. The heavy attacks also damaged 14 homes, four high-rise buildings, an administrative building, a car, and five power lines.

In Druzhkivka, a Russian first-person-view (FPV) drone killed one person and damaged equipement.

Filashkin warned that both Kostiantynivka and Druzhkivka are "under constant enemy fire" and urged residents to relocate.

"It is dangerous to stay here! Evacuate to safer regions of Ukraine!" Filashkin wrote on Telegram after the attack.

In late June, Filashkin reported that Kostiantynivka, in eastern Donetsk Oblast, faces an imminent "humanitarian catastrophe." The town lies just 10 to 15 kilometers (6 to 9 miles) from several areas currently occupied by Russian forces, according to battlefield mapping site DeepState.

Kostiantynivka has come under intensified attack in recent months as Moscow pushes westward beyond its gains around other nearby towns.

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Russian troops are ramping up attacks in the sector using large numbers of troops, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

A woman injured in Russia’s July 3 attack on Poltava has died in the hospital, bringing the total number of fatalities to three, the local military administration reported on July 6.

The attack injured 59 people, sparked fires, and damaged civilian infrastructure.

"Doctors fought for her life to the last. Our sincere condolences to her family and friends!" Poltava Oblast Governor Volodymyr Kohut wrote on Telegram.

One of Russia's July 3 strikes caused a fire at the Poltava military enlistment office. A separate strike nearby set fire to a private residential property, the authorities said.

Vitalii Sarantsev, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Ground Forces, said on national television that the attack on the enlistment office in Poltava was deliberate and that such strikes are intended to disrupt mobilization in Ukraine.

This wasn't the first time Russia has been linked to such attacks. Back in February, Moscow recruited the man who carried out a deadly bombing at a military enlistment office in the city of Rivne in northwestern Ukraine.

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The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Drones attacked Russia's Black Sea Fleet at the port of Novorossiysk in Krasnodar Krai overnight on July 6, the Russian media outlet Astra reported.

Ukraine has not officially commented on the reported strikes, and the Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claims.

An air alert was sounded in the city for several hours, and air defense was active. The consequences of the attack are still being determined, according to Astra.

The media outlet also published footage purportedly showing a burning maritime drone that was allegedly shot down during the attack.

Krasnodar Krai is located east of Crimea, with the Kerch Strait separating them at their closest point.

Ukraine regularly strikes military targets within Russia as Moscow continues to wage its war against Ukraine.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that Russian forces downed 120 drones overnight on July 6.

Thirty drones were shot down over Bryansk Oblast, 29 over Kursk Oblast, and 18 over Oryol Oblast, according to the ministry. An additional 17 and 13 drones were reportedly intercepted over Belgorod and Tula oblasts, respectively, the ministry said.

Due to drone attacks in Russia, numerous flights were canceled or delayed at several airports, including Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, overnight between July 5 and July 6.

Ukrainian drone strike on Russian airfield hits bomb depot, aircraft

The airfield hosts Su-34, Su-35S, and Su-30SM jets that Russia regularly uses in air strikes against Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian military.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

Editor's note: The story was updated with new reports about operations at Russian airports during drone strikes.

Several Russian airports have canceled flights due to safety concerns over Ukrainian drone attacks, the Russian Federal Aviation Agency (Rosaviatsia) reported on July 6.

Rosaviatsia reported on the evening of July 6 that 287 flights had been grounded across three major airports: Moscow's Sheremetyevo,  St. Petersburg's Pulkovo, and Strigino Airport in Nizhny Novgorod.

The restrictions follow a wave of closures the previous night, also triggered by drone threats. Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that it had intercepted 120 drones on Russian territory overnight between July 5 and July 6.

Ukraine hasn't commented on the report. Kyiv's drone campaign, which has increasingly disrupted civilian air travel in Russia, is part of Ukraine's broader strategy to undermine Russia's logistics far beyond the front line.

Rosaviatsia confirmed the temporary pause in flights at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, citing airspace restrictions over the capital and strong winds. At Sheremetyevo, 171 flights were canceled and 56 more were delayed, causing crowds of passengers to form at the airport.

At Pulkovo, 90 flights were canceled and 37 remain delayed due to safety concerns. In Nizhny Novgorod, 26 flights were canceled and 13 delayed. Flight restrictions have also been imposed on Russia's Ivanovo, Kaluga, Pskov, and Tambov airports, the agency said.

The Kyiv Independent couldn't immediately verify these claims.

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This latest drone attack on Moscow follows an earlier Ukrainian operation targeting the Borisoglebsk airfield in Russia's Voronezh Oblast overnight on July 5.

Ukraine's General Staff reported that the strike damaged a warehouse containing guided bombs, aircraft, and other military assets.

The Borisoglebsk airfield is known to host Su-34, Su-35S, and Su-30SM jets, which Russia regularly employs in air strikes against Ukraine. Military assessments are underway, with initial reports suggesting a training and combat aircraft may have been destroyed.

NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) detected a fire near the Borisoglebsk military airfield shortly after the strike. Residents in the area reported 8–10 powerful explosions around 2 a.m. local time, according to the Russian independent outlet Astra.

The attack on Borisoglebsk was part of a broader overnight drone campaign across Russia, with explosions and fires reported in at least six regions.

Serhii Bratchuk, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Defense Army's Southern Division, told the Kyiv Independent in May that Ukraine is shifting its drone strategy, deliberately aiming to disrupt Russian aviation operations and make the war visible to the Russian population.

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Ukraine struck a critical Russian military-industrial site overnight on July 5 that produces components for high-precision weapons used by Moscow to attack Ukraine, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported.

The site in question is JSC VNIIR-Progress, a Russian state institute that specializes in developing electronic warfare (EW) systems, including the Kometa antenna arrays, used to jam satellite, radio, and radar signals.

The institute is located in Cheboksary, Chuvash Republic, about 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) away from the Ukrainian border.

The Kometa antenna is used in Shahed-type drones, Iskander-K cruise missiles, and guided aerial bomb modules — all high-precision weapons used by Russia to strike civilian and military targets across Ukraine.

The General Staff confirmed that Ukrainian weapons reached the target area but said final damage assessments were still underway.

The VNIIR-Progress institute has been sanctioned by both the United States and the European Union for its role in supporting Russia's war effort.

The Iskander-K is a precision-guided cruise missile with a range of up to 500 kilometers (311 miles), frequently used by Russia to target civilian areas. Shahed drones have become a central part of Moscow's airstrike tactics since late 2022 due to their low cost and high payload.

Located on the Volga River, Cheboksary is the capital of the Chuvash Republic and lies deep inside Russian territory. Russian independent media outlet Astra and local Telegram channels earlier reported explosions in the city overnight.

Russia's Defense Ministry claimed to have shot down two drones over the region.

This marks the second known Ukrainian drone strike on VNIIR-Progress. On June 9, explosions and fires were also reported at the facility following another drone attack.

At least four civilians were killed and 37 others injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past 24 hours, regional authorities reported on July 5.

Russia launched 322 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type attack drones, according to Ukraine's Air Force. Air defenses intercepted 292 drones, while another 135 dropped off radars, likely used as decoys to overwhelm Ukrainian systems.

The attack was repelled using aviation, electronic warfare, mobile fire teams, and air defense systems.

In Donetsk Oblast, Russian strikes killed two civilians and injured four more, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. In Kharkiv Oblast, one person was killed and 15 injured, including two children, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

In Kherson Oblast, 11 civilians were injured as Russian forces targeted residential areas and other civilian infrastructure, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

A 49-year-old postal worker was injured in Chernihiv Oblast by a first-person-view (FPV) drone, Governor Viacheslav Chaus said. The man sustained shrapnel wounds while delivering mail.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, four civilians, two men and two women, were injured in Russian strikes, Governor Serhii Lysak reported.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, an 84-year-old man was killed, and two others — a 54-year-old man and a 10-year-old boy — were injured, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

The latest strikes come as Russia continues to escalate its aerial campaign and reject calls for a ceasefire. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly urged Western partners to bolster Ukraine's air defense capabilities amid persistent drone and missile strikes.

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The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Ukraine targeted the Borisoglebsk airfield in Russia's Voronezh Oblast overnight on July 5, damaging a warehouse with guided bombs, aircraft, and other military assets, Ukraine's General Staff reported.

The airfield hosts Su-34, Su-35S, and Su-30SM jets thatRussia regularly uses in air strikes against Ukraine, according to the military. The strike may have destroyed a training and combat aircraft, with further assessments underway.

The NASA Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) detected a fire near the Borisoglebsk military airfield shortly after the strike. Residents in the area reported 8–10 powerful explosions around 2 a.m. local time, according to Russian independent outlet Astra.

The strike was part of a broader overnight drone campaign across Russia, with explosions and fires reported in at least six regions.

The Russian Defense Ministry said 42 drones were intercepted within a three-hour period, most of them over Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk oblasts, which border Ukraine.

Leningrad Oblast Governor Alexander Drozdenko said two drones were downed south of St. Petersburg, prompting a temporary suspension of flights at Pulkovo airport. No casualties or damage were reported.

The governor of the Smolensk Oblast in western Russia said anti-aircraft units downed three drones without casualties or damage. The governor of the Voronezh Oblast, bordering Ukraine, also confirmed the destruction of several drones.

Explosions were also heard overnight in Cheboksary, the capital of the Chuvash Republic, where video footage shared online showed a fire reportedly at a local industrial site.

Additionally, explosions were heard during the night in Engels, Saratov Oblast, with some Telegram channels suggesting a military airfield was likely targeted.

The attacks come as Russia escalates aerial assaults on Ukraine, prompting Kyiv to increase long-range drone strikes on Russian military targets.

Ukrainian officials say these drone operations aim to undermine Russia's strike capabilities and bring the war closer to those enabling the Kremlin's campaign.

The commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces warned on July 4 that Russian Shahed drone strikes could escalate to 1,000 per day, prompting Ukraine to consider relocating drone production.

"Under the pressure of increasing mass use by the enemy of a cheap, but everywhere accessible Shahed... There will be 1,000 units (launched) per day and more," Robert "Magyar" Brovdi said in a social media post.

Russia regularly targets Ukrainian cities with Iranian-designed Shahed drones. On the night of July 4, it launched drones and ballistic missiles at Kyiv, injuring at least 26 people and killing one. President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had launched a record 550 drones and missiles during the seven-hour barrage.

"I am not scaring anyone," Brovdi added, saying his warning is based on intelligence analysis.

Meanwhile, Kyiv is considering relocating drone production amid the increased threat of Russian attacks. Ukraine has also sought to expand its own defense production abroad, reaching key agreements with allies in recent weeks.

On July 4, Copenhagen and Kyiv signed an agreement that allows Ukrainian defense companies to open production facilities in Denmark, Strategic Industries Minister Herman Smetanin said.

Meanwhile, Skyeton Prevail Solutions — a joint venture between Ukrainian drone manufacturer Skyeton and U.K.-based Prevail Solutions, will manufacture and supply Raybird drones in the U.K., the two companies announced on July 2.

Zelensky and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer met in London on June 23, where the two leaders agreed to an "industrial military co-production agreement."

President Volodymyr Zelensky called for more air defence for Ukraine after a massive drone and missile attack on Ukraine's capital overnight on July 4.

According to Zelensky, as U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were talking on the phone on July 3, air raid sirens blared across Ukraine.

"Moreover, the first air raids in our cities and regions began yesterday almost simultaneously with the start of media discussions of President Trump's phone call with Putin," Zelensky wrote.

"This was one of the most large-scale air attacks – deliberately massive and cynical... Russia is once again demonstrating that it is not going to end the war and terror."

The overnight attack struck Kyiv and several other regions, injuring at least 23 people and setting off dozens of fires in Ukraine's capital. Russian forces launched more than 550 aerial weapons, including over 330 Iranian-type Shahed drones and multiple types of missiles, including ballistic missiles, Zelensky said.

Kyiv was the main target. Ukraine's military said it shot down 270 aerial threats, while 208 additional drones were jammed by electronic warfare. Interceptor drones also downed dozens more, Zelensky said, calling their growing use a key defense priority.

Zelensky stressed the need for continued and increased military aid from allies, especially air defenses. "Patriots and their missiles are real defenders of life," Zelensky said. "It is very important to maintain the support of partners in ballistic missile defense."

Despite Russia's escalating attacks and Ukraine's desperate need for air defense munitions, the U.S. has decided to halt shipments of Patriot missiles and other promised weapons to Kyiv, claiming it needs to secure its own stockpiles.

Beyond Kyiv, strikes also hit the Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and Kyiv oblasts, according to Zelensky. Fires and damage were reported in nearly every district of the capital, including residential buildings, schools, medical facilities, and railway infrastructure.

Local authorities described the night as "terroristic." Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported fires in at least five districts. Air quality in the city remained dangerously poor by morning, as noted by the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

Meanwhile, Russian state media reported that during the Trump-Putin call, Putin reiterated his determination to continue pursuing the Kremlin's goals in Ukraine, despite mounting international calls for a ceasefire.

Zelensky called on Ukraine's allies, particularly the United States, to apply massive and immediate pressure on Russia. "We need to ensure that for every such attack on people and lives, they (Russia) feel the corresponding sanctions and other blows to their economy, their earnings, their infrastructure," he said. "Only this can bring faster change."

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The Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta

Editor's note: This story was updated with a statement made by Ukraine's General Staff.

Drones struck multiple targets in Russia overnight on July 4, including a high-value defense facility in the southern Rostov region, according to Andrii Kovalenko, head of the counter-disinformation center at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.

Kovalenko said a drone hit the Azov Optical and Mechanical Plant in the town of Azov, Rostov Oblast. The facility reportedly manufactures critical components for the Russian military, including sights, rangefinders, thermal imaging systems, and fire control equipment for tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, ships, and aircraft.

"Despite the difficult night, there is also good news. There were attacks on facilities in Russia, particularly in Moscow and Rostov regions," Kovalenko wrote. "This is where the 'eyes' for Russian armored vehicles are assembled."

Overnight on July 4, Russia launched a massive drone and missile assault on multiple Ukrainian cities, with Kyiv as the primary target. At least 23 people were injured in the capital amid widespread destruction and high levels of air pollution.

Ukraine's General Staff later confirmed that its drone units, operating in coordination with other elements of the Defense Forces, also struck the Scientific Research Institute of Applied Chemistry (FNTs NIIPKh) in Sergiyev Posad, Moscow Oblast.

The military said the facility is involved in the production of thermobaric warheads for Shahed-type drones and plays a critical role in Russia's airstrike capabilities.

"We confirmed that our munitions hit the target," the General Staff said. "A fire and heavy smoke were detected in the area of the facility." The full extent of the damage is still being assessed.

Russian officials also confirmed drone strikes across several regions.

Yuriy Slyusar, acting governor of Rostov Oblast, said a number of towns in the region were struck by drones. In the city of Azov, the attack reportedly damaged several cars and shattered windows in residential buildings. Debris from one drone allegedly fell onto a local stadium.

In the village of Dolotinka, a drone strike reportedly caused the collapse of a section of a residential apartment building, killing an elderly woman. Authorities said 20 residents were evacuated from the damaged structure.

In Sergiyev Posad in Moscow Oblast, four explosions were reported around 5 a.m. near the Zvezdochka neighborhood, accompanied by the sound of drone engines, according to local residents. Oksana Yerokhanova, head of the district, said a power substation was damaged in the incident.

Two people were injured in Sergiyev Posad, according to Governor Andrei Vorobyov.

Russia's Defense Ministry later claimed that air defense systems had intercepted or destroyed 48 Ukrainian drones overnight. According to the ministry, 26 were downed over Rostov Oblast, 12 over Kursk Oblast, six over Belgorod Oblast, three over Oryol Oblast, and one over Lipetsk Oblast.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims.

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The Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Explosions rocked the city of Kyiv for more than seven hours overnight on July 4, as Russia launched a record missile and drone attack targeting the capital and other cities across Ukraine.

At least one person was killed, and 23 others injured in Kyiv. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said 14 people had been hospitalized, while Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, in the afternoon confirmed a body had been found during rescue operations.

"Today’s attack was like the worst nightmare come to life," Kyiv resident Olha Vershynina told the Kyiv Independent at the site of damaged residential buildings in the capital's Solomianskyi district. "Because when the strike happened, the lights went out and glass came crashing down on my head.

"It was terrifying. Our entire building was shaking."

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia launched a record 550 drones and missiles during the seven-hour barrage. Kyiv Independent journalists on the ground heard multiple rounds of explosions in the city beginning around 8 p.m. local time on July 3 and continuing into the early hours of July 4

The attack damaged apartment buildings, businesses, a school, a medical facility, railway lines, and other civilian infrastructure in multiple districts. Fires blazed across the city, making the air dangerous to breathe.

Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, warned residents to close their windows due to dangerous levels of "combustion products" in the air.

"Russia, a terrorist country, has wreaked havoc," Tkachenko wrote on Telegram. "The Russians bring nothing but terror and murder. That is a fact."

Liliia Kuzmenko, 23-years-old and eight months pregnant, moved to Kyiv a month ago with her husband from the embattled city of Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast.

"The kind of explosions I heard here were unlike anything I heard in Pokrovsk. It’s just beyond words," she told the Kyiv Independent. "Fortunately, everything in our apartment is intact. But in others, the windows were blown out, and everything fell apart."

Ukraine's Air Force reported that Russia had launched a ballistic missile towards Kyiv at around 12:30 a.m, and then additional missiles around 2:30 a.m.

"This time was truly terrifying.," Maria Maznichenko, a pensioner who lives in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district. "The explosions kept coming. Shaheds drones were flying in every minute, like a swarm of bees — one after another. It was very frightening."

As officials reported real-time updates on damage and casualties amid the ongoing assault, Kyiv Independent reporters in the city said that smoke from explosions clogged the air even in neighborhoods far from the attack sites.

The massive assault came hours after a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, during which Putin reaffirmed that "Russia will continue to pursue its goals" in Ukraine despite calls for a ceasefire from the West.

"The first air raids in our cities and regions began yesterday almost simultaneously with the start of media discussions of President Trump's phone call with Putin," Zelensky said in a post on social media on July 4.

"This was one of the most large-scale air attacks – deliberately massive and cynical... Russia is once again demonstrating that it is not going to end the war and terror."

Tkachenko reported that an earlier drone strike damaged a residential building in the city's Obolon district, causing a fire to break out on the roof.

In the Sviatoshynskyi district, drone wreckage caused fires at storage facilities and hit the courtyard of a 16-story apartment building, Klitschko said. Vehicles in the area caught fire after the attack. Another fire broke out at a business in the district due to falling drone debris.

In the Dniprovskyi district, drone debris fell near a school and several residential buildings, Tkachenko reported.

Fires also broke out in the Solomianskyi district, Klitschko said. An administrative building was in flames after the attack, as were storage facilities and a garage. Debris damaged "non-residential buildings" in the area.

Klitschko reported another fire on the first floor of an 8-story residential building in the Shevchenkivskyi district, but said the building was not inhabited. Another fire broke out at a business in the same district.

A medical facility in the Holosiivskyi district was damaged in the attack, Klitschko said.

Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia) said that the attack damaged rail infrastructure in Kyiv and cautioned residents to expect delays due to diverted routes.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said that the consular section of Poland's embassy in Kyiv was damaged during Russia's attack on Kyiv. "I just spoke with Ambassador (Piotr) Lukasiewicz; everyone is safe and unharmed," Sikorski said.

He added that Ukraine urgently needs air defense systems.

Russia also targeted other regions of Ukraine with overnight attacks. Downed drones struck property and a vehicle in the city of Poltava, regional Governor Volodymyr Kohut reported. The strike injured two people.

Kyiv and other major Ukrainian cities have faced intensified drone and missile strikes in recent weeks, with Russia deploying Iranian-designed Shahed drones in record numbers.

Russia on June 17 launched one of its largest attacks against Kyiv since the start of the full-scale war, killing 28 people and injuring 134 others. Less than a week later, ballistic missiles and kamikaze drones assailed the city in another mass strike.

Ukrainian officials have warned that continued attacks are aimed at wearing down air defense systems and terrorizing civilians.

Despite Russia's escalating attacks and Ukraine's desperate need for air defense munitions, the U.S. has decided to halt shipments of Patriot missiles and other promised weapons to Kyiv, claiming it needs to bolster its own stockpiles.

Ukraine scrambles to clarify extent of U.S. military aid pause and ‘whether everything will continue’

When the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) halted the transfer of critical air defense missiles and other weapons to Ukraine, Kyiv and its partners were caught off-guard and are now left scrambling for clarity on the scope and length of the Trump administration’s decision. The White House confirmed the halt after a July 1 report by Politico said shipments were paused due to concerns over the size of domestic stockpiles. The decision “was made to put America’s interests first following a DOD rev

The Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta

At least three people were killed and 34 injured across Ukraine in Russian drone and missile attacks, Ukrainian regional officials reported on July 3.

Ukraine's Air Force reported that Russia used 52 drones launched from several directions, including Oryol, Millerovo, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk. Air defenses destroyed 40 of them, including 22 shot down and 18 jammed electronically.

In Donetsk Oblast, three people were killed and at least nine injured in multiple settlements, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. Damage was reported to residential buildings, cars, and utility infrastructure across Pokrovsk, Kostyantynivka, and other towns.

In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces shelled over 30 towns and villages, wounding nine civilians, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. Strikes hit both residential neighborhoods and critical infrastructure. One person was hospitalized in Kherson city after being hit by a drone.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, seven civilians were injured, including a 17-year-old girl, as Russia used artillery and drones to strike Nikopol and Synelnykove districts, Governor Serhii Lysak said. Fires broke out in wheat fields, and residential buildings and infrastructure were damaged.

In Odesa, five people were injured, including two children aged 7 and 9, in a Russian drone strike on a residential building, Governor Oleh Kiper reported. Several apartments were destroyed or damaged.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, one person was injured and nine settlements were struck over 430 times in the past 24 hours, Governor Ivan Fedorov said. The attacks included airstrikes, FPV drones, and artillery, causing damage to houses and infrastructure.

In Kharkiv Oblast, two people were injured in separate strikes, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. Civilian infrastructure was damaged in multiple areas, including houses and vehicles.

Russia increasingly targets Ukraine’s cities with cluster munitions, raising civilian toll

Amid stalled peace talks, Russia is increasingly attacking Ukrainian cities with cluster munitions, banned by international organizations for the indiscriminate damage they cause to civilians. The civilian casualty toll in Ukraine in 2025 rose by 37% compared with the same period last year, mostly due to Russia’s use of

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

Editor's note: This item has been updated to include the statement from Ground Forces spokesperson Vitalii Sarantsev.

A Russian strike on Poltava, central Ukraine, killed two people and injured 47 others on the morning of July 3, local and military officials said.

The attack, which occurred around 9 a.m. local time, sparked fires and damaged civilian infrastructure, according to Governor Volodymyr Kohut and Ukraine's Ground Forces.

The State Emergency Service reported that 84 emergency workers, including psychologists, pyrotechnicians, and medics, were deployed at the site of the attacks. Firefighters extinguished the fires, cleared the rubble, and rescued 10 people from the damaged buildings.

According to the statement of Ukraine's Ground Forces, one of the strikes caused a fire at the Poltava conscription office, a local military facility. A separate strike near the Poltava conscription office set fire to a private residential property, authorities said.

Speaking on national television, Ukraine's Ground Forces spokesperson Vitalii Sarantsev said that Russia was deliberately targeting conscription offices to disrupt Ukraine's mobilization efforts.

"We will continue to strengthen our army, train our troops, and involve more people in defense to deliver a strong response to the enemy," Sarantsev said.

This wasn't the first time Russia has been linked to such attacks. Back in February, Moscow recruited the man who carried out a deadly bombing at a military enlistment office in the city of Rivne in northwestern Ukraine.

‘Major casualties among civilians’ — US freeze on air defense missiles is terrible news for Ukraine

The halting of deliveries of air defense missiles from the U.S. will lead to“major casualties among civilians,” a deputy commander in Ukraine’s air defense told the Kyiv Independent. Politico reported on July 1 that the U.S. Defense Department (DOD) had halted shipments of some weapons previously

The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Ukraine confirmed strikes on the Energia factory in Russia's Lipetsk Oblast overnight on July 3, a facility that produces components for missiles and drones, including batteries for the Iskander missile system and cruise missiles.

The attack on the Energia plant in the city of Yelets was first reported by Lipetsk Governor Igor Artamonov. Artamonov said a fire broke out near the facility after a drone strike, and residents reported multiple explosions.

Employees in nearby workshops were evacuated. No casualties have been reported. Residents of Yelets were reporting multiple explosions, according to the Russian Telegram news channel Astra.

Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Counter-Disinformation Center at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, confirmed the strike, calling Energia "one of the most critical targets for Russia." According to Kovalenko, the facility manufactures batteries for missile guidance and glider modules, including for the Iskander system and cruise missiles.

Ukraine's General Staff later on July 3 released an official statement confirming the strike, saying the attack was carried out by the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Unmanned Systems Forces in coordination with other defense elements.

The General Staff also stated that explosions were recorded on the factory grounds and that production had been halted. "The Defense Forces continue to take measures to undermine the military and economic potential of the Russian (troops) and force Russia to stop its armed aggression against Ukraine," the statement said.

The results of the fire damage are still being clarified, according to the military.

The Energia plant produces parts for ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as batteries for drones and glide bombs. The factory was previously targeted multiple times this past May.

The city of Yelets lies some 250 kilometers (150 miles) north of the Russia-Ukraine border.

Artamonov also claimed that drones caused damage to other areas in the region. Wreckage from an intercepted drone allegedly crashed onto a residential building, killing a woman and injuring two other people.

Explosions were also reported overnight in the Russian-occupied city of Khartsyzk in Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast, with Russian Telegram channels citing eyewitnesses who claim a missile may have struck a Russian ammunition depot.

Several rounds of secondary detonations followed the initial blast, according to the reports.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that its air defenses shot down a total of 69 Ukrainian drones overnight. The ministry said 27 drones were intercepted over Belgorod Oblast, 22 over Voronezh Oblast, 10 over Lipetsk Oblast, eight over Kursk Oblast, and two over Russian-occupied Crimea.

Ukraine regularly strikes military targets deep within Russian territory in an effort to diminish Moscow's fighting power.

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The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

The Kupol plant in Russia's Udmurt Republic ceased operations following a Ukrainian drone attack, independent media outlet Astra reported on June 2, citing emergency service sources.

Located more than 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from the front line, the plant produces Tor and Osa air defense systems, as well as Harpy-type attack drones. It is under international sanctions as part of Russia's defense-industrial complex.

Two drones hit their intended targets during the strike with one flying through the windows of one workshop, and the second hitting the roof of another, causing an explosion and fire. The resulting blaze led to the collapse of 1,300 square meters of roofing, Astra reported.

Four workshops were destroyed in the first building of the complex, reportedly halting operations in areas responsible for metalworking, microchip soldering, and drone production.

Udmurt Republic Governor Alexander Brechalov said on June 1 that three people were killed and 45 injured in the attack, including 35 hospitalizations and six in serious condition.

Astra earlier reported that no air raid siren was issued in Izhevsk ahead of the attack. Residents claimed to be unable to receive emergency alerts due to persistent mobile internet outages.

Ukraine's General Staff confirmed the strike via its official Telegram channel, framing it as part of Kyiv's campaign to degrade Russia's defense-industrial base far from the front.

The plant was previously targeted in a Ukrainian drone strike on Nov. 17, 2024. That attack damaged equipment used to produce Tor missile systems and radar components.

Izhevsk, the capital of the Udmurt Republic, is known as a center of Russia's arms manufacturing industry and the birthplace of the Kalashnikov rifle.

The latest attack underscores Ukraine's capacity to strike deep into Russian territory.

Ukraine says it wasn’t notified of US weapons shipment halt; official insists ‘deliveries continue’

In a statement, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said it is working to verify the current status of all elements in the agreed aid packages and has requested a phone call with U.S. defense officials for further clarification.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg denied on July 1 that he agreed to "work on" halting Ukraine's drone attacks on Russia, contradicting Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko's claim.

Speaking at a state event on Belarus's Independence Day, Lukashenko said he relayed Russian President Vladimir Putin's position to Kellogg during their June 21 meeting in Minsk.

According to Lukashenko, the Russian president is willing to consider a ceasefire in Ukraine if Ukrainian forces stop conducting drone strikes on Russian territory.

"I conveyed this position to the Americans," Lukashenko said on July 1. "We will work on it, said (the U.S. special envoy), in this direction."

Kellogg pushed back on the claim, writing on X that the quote was "taken out of context" and misrepresented the substance of their talks.

"At no point did I make comments related to Ukraine's prosecution of the war outside of a total ceasefire," he said. "In my conversation with Lukashenko, we discussed a full and unconditional ceasefire."

The June meeting between Kellogg and Lukashenko marked the highest-level U.S. visit to Belarus since former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's 2020 trip. Belarusian state media widely portrayed Kellogg's visit as a sign of thawing relations.

Shortly after the talks, Belarus released opposition leader and political prisoner Siarhei Tsikhanouski, who had been jailed since the 2020 presidential election.

Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994 and remains a key ally of the Kremlin. His regime has allowed Russian troops and equipment to use Belarusian territory to attack Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Military aid delays will ‘encourage Russia to continue war,’ Ukraine tells US envoy

Ukraine warned that “any delay or hesitation in supporting Ukraine’s defense capabilities will only encourage Russia to continue war and terror, rather than pursue peace.”

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

At least two civilians were killed and 33 were injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past 24 hours, according to local governors.

Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 114 Shahed-type and decoy drones overnight from multiple directions, as well as four S-300 missiles. Air defenses shot down 40 drones, while 39 disappeared from radars or were intercepted by electronic warfare.

In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces shelled a hospital in Kherson city late on July 1, injuring eight people, including patients and medical staff, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.

Two other people were injured elsewhere in the region over the past day. Attacks damaged residential buildings, a farm, a business, and vehicles across more than 30 settlements.

In Kharkiv Oblast, four people were injured in attacks on Kharkiv city and six other communities, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported. Russian forces used guided aerial bombs, various drones, and artillery. Civilian infrastructure, including houses, a transport stop, an emergency medical facility, and businesses, was damaged or destroyed.

In Donetsk Oblast, two civilians were killed and 10 others injured by Russian attacks on July 1, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin. In the city of Sloviansk, a mail terminal operated by Nova Poshta, Ukraine’s largest postal service, was destroyed. No employees were injured, according to an official statement.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, five people were injured, four of whom were hospitalized, after a drone strike on Nikopol, Governor Serhii Lysak said.

Russian attacks damaged a private enterprise in Kryvyi Rih and a farm in the Samar district. Fires were reported in both locations. Drone and artillery strikes also hit residential and infrastructure targets in Nikopol and Pokrovske communities.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, four civilians were injured in Russian attacks on Vasylivka and Polohy districts, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported. Over the day, Russian forces launched 376 strikes across 14 settlements, using aircraft, drones, multiple rocket launchers, and artillery.

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The Kyiv IndependentOleksiy Sorokin

Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) released on July 1 video footage showing domestically produced drones striking multiple Russian air defense assets and a fighter jet in occupied Crimea in what it described as a successful special operation.

The undated footage shows the combat use of UJ-26 drones, commonly known as Bober (Beavers), targeting high-value Russian military systems.

"These reliable weapons in the hands of HUR special forces are turning critically important Russian targets into useless scrap," the agency said in a statement.

HUR added that the Bober drones are effectively "gnawing through" Russia's expensive air defense systems "like barberries."

The released footage shows that the strikes destroyed or severely damaged several Russian military assets, including a Pantsir-S1 air defense system and its crew, a Niobium-SV radar, a Pechora-3 coastal radar, a Protivnik-GE radar, and a Su-30 fighter jet stationed at the Saky airfield in occupied Crimea.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify HUR's claims.

The strikes are part of Ukraine's ongoing efforts to degrade Russian military capabilities in Crimea, which has been under Russian occupation since 2014. Moscow reported Ukrainian drone strikes against the peninsula earlier on July 1, with the Crimean Wind Telegram channel reporting attacks in the vicinity of S-300/S-400 air defense systems.

Ukraine has increasingly deployed new drone systems to target Russian military assets on the front line and deep inside the Russian rear.

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Tehran, Russia’s main ally in the Middle East, has been dealt a heavy blow as Israel dismantled its network of proxies and then struck targets in Iran. The recent Iranian-Israeli war, which ended with a ceasefire on June 24, showed that the regional balance of power has shifted in Israel’s favor. This could have a major impact on Russian-Iranian relations as Moscow will have to recalibrate its approach to the region. Russian-Iranian cooperation is likely to continue but Iran’s ability to help

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on July 1 that he had ordered a ban on the concentration of troops and equipment at training facilities to better protect against Russian missile attacks.

"My categorical order is to ensure and increase the safety of service members at training centers and training grounds," Syrskyi said on social media after listening to reports on the implementation of safety measures.

"The concentration of personnel and military equipment, as well as the placement of service members in tent camps, is prohibited!"

The command follows a string of Russian missile attacks against Ukrainian military training facilities that have resulted in a number of killed and injured service members.

Deadly strikes deep inside the Ukrainian rear have sparked a public backlash and increased scrutiny aimed at the military command.

Former Ground Forces Commander Mykhailo Drapatyi promised to address the issue, but resigned after another attack against a shooting range in Sumy Oblast on May 20, which killed six soldiers and injured a dozen more.

Syrskyi said that new shelters and protective structures are being constructed at training facilities.

"I emphasized the mandatory compliance with shelter requirements at training centers and ranges, as well as the proper and timely notification of air raid alerts."

In a most recently reported case, a Russian missile attack killed three soldiers and injured 14 at the training ground of a Ukrainian mechanized brigade on June 22.

Ukrainian forces push Russian army away from Sumy, General Staff says

Ukrainian troops advanced near the village of Oleksiivka and liberated the village of Andriivka, the statement read.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated. The article contains graphic footage.

A Russian missile attack against the village of Huliaipole in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on July 1 resulted in deaths and injuries, the Southern Defense Forces reported.

"As a result of the strike, a cultural center, two shops, and several private homes were destroyed or damaged," the statement read.

Russia launched two ballistic missiles, likely Iskander-M, against the village at 9:15 a.m. local time, the military reported.

The strike was reported earlier on July 1 by Serhii Lysak, the regional governor. No exact casualty figures have been provided so far, and officials promised detailed information at a later date.

Huliaipole, with a pre-war population of around 1,200, lies in the western part of eastern Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, roughly 70 kilometers (40 miles) from the front line.

"Russia once again confirms its status as a terrorist state. It kills innocent civilians," the military said in a statement.

Dnipropetrovsk Oblast is regularly targeted by Russian drone and missile attacks. Moscow's ground troops have also been attempting to break into the region, though Kyiv has denied Russian claims that they had been successful.

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China’s state TV broadcaster has revealed details of a new “graphite bomb” that can cause a “complete loss of electricity” across an area of 10,000 square meters, or knock out entire power stations, the South China Morning Post reported on June 29. An animated video released by China’s CCTV showed a missile being launched from a ground-based launcher and then flying to a target where it releases 90 small submunitions. They then bounce on the ground before exploding amid a mock-up of an electri

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Editor's note: This story was updated with information shared by an SBU source.

Ukrainian drones struck a major Russian military plant in the city of Izhevsk, over 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from the front in Ukraine, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) told the Kyiv Independent on July 1.

The SBU source said the agency's long-range drones targeted the Kupol plant in Russia's Udmurt Republic on the morning of July 1. At least two confirmed strikes struck production and storage facilities, starting a fire at the site, according to the source.

The facility produces Tor and Osa air defense systems, as well as Harpy attack drones for the Russian military, and is under international sanctions as part of Russia's defense-industrial complex.

"With surgical precision, the SBU continues to carry out strikes against Russia's military-industrial enterprises contributing to the war effort against Ukraine," the source said.

"Each such operation weakens (Russia's) offensive potential, disrupts weapons production chains, and proves that no part of Russia is a safe zone for its military infrastructure."

Residents of Izhevsk reported explosions early on July 1, while local authorities confirmed a drone strike on a facility in the city. Alexander Brechalov, head of Russia's Udmurt Republic, said emergency services had responded to the attack and that further information would be provided as it became available.

Brechalov later reported casualties, citing deaths and serious injuries, but did not provide specific figures.

Russia's aviation agency temporarily suspended flights in and out of the city's airport following the incident.

Russian Telegram channels reported that no air raid siren was sounded before the drone attack on the Kupol plant. According to Astra, Izhevsk residents also could not access warnings via Telegram due to mobile internet outages, which locals say have persisted for nearly two weeks.

The city was previously targeted on Nov. 17, 2024, when a drone strike damaged a factory known for producing air defense systems, including Tor missile systems and radar components used by the Russian military. That strike marked the first known Ukrainian drone attack on the region during the full-scale war.

Russia's Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down 60 Ukrainian drones overnight across several regions, including 17 over occupied Crimea, 16 over the Rostov Oblast, and 11 over the Sea of Azov. Others were reportedly downed over the Kursk, Saratov, Belgorod, Voronezh, and Oryol oblasts, as well as the Black Sea.

In occupied Crimea, local Telegram channels reported explosions near the town of Kurortne on the Kerch Peninsula, where Russian S-300/S-400 surface-to-air missile systems and radar stations are allegedly located. A monitoring group cited NASA satellite data showing a large fire in the area overnight, though there was no official confirmation of any damage to the air defense assets.

Local residents reported explosions between 0:20 a.m. and 0:50 a.m. in the cities of Kerch and Feodosia.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claims.

Smashing previous monthly record, Russia launches 5,337 kamikaze drones against Ukraine during June

Russia launched a record 5,337 Shahed-type drones against Ukraine in June, according to data from the Ukrainian Air Force and Dragon Capital, smashing the previous record of 4,198 set in March. Russia’s bombardments, a fact of life after three years of full-scale war, have intensified dramatically in May

The Kyiv IndependentYuliia Taradiuk

Russian attacks across multiple Ukrainian regions over the past 24 hours have killed at least six people and injured 26 others, according to local officials. The strikes involved drones, artillery, and guided bombs, hitting residential areas and critical infrastructure.

According to Ukraine's Air Force, Ukrainian air defense hit 74 out of 107 drones launched overnight by Russia.

In Kharkiv Oblast, two people were killed and eight injured following attacks on six settlements, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. Damage was reported to houses, vehicles, and civilian infrastructure across Kharkiv, Kupiansk, and Chuhuiv districts.

In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces struck residential areas and civilian infrastructure in over two dozen localities, killing two people and injuring eight others, according to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin. Damage included houses, utility systems, and communications infrastructure.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, one person was killed in Vasylivka district. Governor Ivan Fedorov said Russian forces launched 375 strikes on 10 settlements, damaging houses and vehicles.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, three people were injured in Kryvyi Rih following drone strikes and artillery attacks, Governor Serhii Lysak reported. Fires broke out, and damage was recorded at a farm and in residential areas.

In Donetsk Oblast, at least one person was killed and four others injured, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. Multiple residential buildings, a church, and a pharmacy were damaged across Pokrovsk, Kramatorsk, and Bakhmut districts.

In Sumy Oblast, Russian attacks injured three civilians, regional authorities said. Nearly 80 strikes targeted 29 settlements, damaging houses, educational institutions, and public buildings.

Russia reportedly closes Crimean Bridge amid explosions in Kerch

Witnesses reported hearing multiple blasts and observing Russian air defense systems in action.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

A lieutenant colonel flying a U.S.-made F-16 fighter jet was killed during the overnight aerial strike while on duty, the Air Force said on June 29.

Russia launched a "massive" missile and drone strike across Ukraine early on June 29, unleashing 537 aerial targets, including 477 drones and 60 missiles, according to the Air Force..

Maksym Ustymenko, born in 1993, was killed after shooting down seven aerial targets, the Air Force said in a statement. The Air Force added that his aircraft was damaged while he was trying to shoot down the last one, losing altitude and crashing.

"Maksym Ustymenko did his best to take the plane away from the settlement, but did not have time to eject," the Air Force said on Telegram, honoring that he died "like a hero."

"The work of Ukrainian pilots is extremely dangerous and risky, both when striking enemy ground targets and repelling air attacks," the Air Force added, saying that the F-16 pilots destroy dozens of Shahed-type drones.

In his evening address, President Volodymyr Zelensky posthumously awarded Ustymenko with the Hero of Ukraine award.

"Today, he was killed defending our skies and our people from yet another massive Russian attack... It is painful to lose people like him," Zelensky said in offering condolence to loved ones.

Russia has intensified its aerial campaign on Kyiv and other cities over the past month. Zelensky said that Russia has launched over 2,700, or roughly 9.5%, of the total number of Shahed-type drones deployed during the entire full-scale war in June alone.

Though well protected with Western air defense systems compared to other cities, Kyiv has also faced a number of deadly attacks in June, with the June 17 missile and drone strike on Kyiv killing 30.  

The Air Force said that Ukraine had to use "all available means" to repel the Russian aerial attack overnight on June 29, including elite F-16 jets.

Ukraine received its first batch of F-16 jets in the summer of 2024, but it has not revealed many details about how and where they are used in operations since they are a high-priority target for Moscow. Their pilots have received months of training abroad.

Ukraine war latest: US signals more Patriot missiles for Kyiv after Zelensky-Trump talks at NATO summit

Key developments on June 25: * Zelensky, Trump hold talks on NATO summit sidelines * ‘Something unknown’ hits key Russian drone facility in Taganrog, Ukrainian official says * Russia has launched over 28,000 Shahed drones at Ukraine since 2022, with nearly 10% fired in June alone, Zelensky says * Donetsk Oblast city “on

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Editor's Note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Russia launched its largest aerial attack on Ukraine since the start its full-scale war overnight on June 29, launching 477 drones and 60 missiles towards Ukrainian cities, Ukraine’s Air Force said.

Russian missile and drone attack terrorized Ukraine overnight as air raid alarms sounded across the country, including western regions far from the front lines.

Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Air Force, confirmed to the Associated Press that the attack had become "the most massive airstrike" since the beginning of Russia's full-scale in February 2022.

Russia's bombardments — a fact of life after three years of full-scale war — have intensified dramatically in May and June, with mass attacks becoming more frequent and more deadly.

Ukraine's Air Force warned late in the evening on June 28 that Russia had launched three Tu-95 bombers from the Olenya military airfield in Murmansk Oblast. The Air Force also warned that multiple groups of Russian drones were heading towards various regions.

Several hours later, the Air Force reported that a Russian MiG-31K — a jet capable of carrying Kinzhal ballistic missiles — took off from Savasleyka airfield in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. The Air Force followed this up with warnings that cruise missiles were bound for several regions, including Ternopil, Lviv, and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts in western Ukraine.

The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said it scrambled fighter jets and activated ground-based air defense units in response to the Russian aerial attacks in western Ukraine.

Ukrainian drones strike missile, drone arsenal in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast

Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) struck on June 28 the 1060th Material-Technical Support Center in the city of Bryansk, Ukraine’s General Staff said. The facilities store a Russian missile and drone arsenal, Ukrainska Pravda reported, citing a source in HUR.

The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat

Explosions and strikes were reported in Mykolaiv, Kremenchuk, Zaporizhzhia, Cherkasy Oblast, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Lviv as waves of attacks came throughout the night. Some regional officials shared preliminary reports of damage and casualties even as air defense continued to operate in the area.

Civilian infrastructure was damaged and at least three people were injured in attacks on Cherkasy Oblast, Governor Ihor Taburets reported.

In Kremenchuk, Poltava Oblast, an undisclosed enterprise was hit, causing a fire, according to Governor Volodymyr Kohut.

A production facility at an unnamed enterprise in Zaporizhzhia was hit during an overnight missile attack, Governor Ivan Fedorov said. No casualties were reported.

After the alarms died down, officials in Lviv Oblast said that Russia attempted to strike critical infrastructure in the region. According to Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi, these efforts were largely unsuccessful.

"Despite the complexity of this overnight combined attack, no one was injured and no civilian buildings were damaged in Lviv," he wrote on Telegram.

Mykolaiv Oblast Governor Vitalii Kim reported that Russia targeted the city overnight with ballistic missiles and Shahed drones, hitting an infrastructure facility. The strike caused a fire but no casualties.

The mass missile and drone attack comes a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters that Moscow is ready to hold another round of peace talks.

Ukrainian and Russian delegations have now held two direct talks in Istanbul, but the discussions have yielded few results outside of coordinated prisoner swaps.

Moscow refuses to budge on its maximalist ambitions in Ukraine and is unwilling to enter a ceasefire unless Kyiv preemptively agrees to surrender all foreign military aid. Putin on June 20 declared that "all Ukraine is ours" in a bombastic speech at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum.

Russian ballistics and kamikaze drones have targeted Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with renewed ferocity, killing dozens of civilians and injuring hundreds more. Just this week, a Russian missile struck a passenger train in Dnipro, leaving 21 dead and over 300 wounded.

Ukrainian drone strike on Crimea air base destroys 3 Russian helicopters, SBU claims

The attack destroyed Mi-8, Mi-26 and Mi-28 attack helicopters, and a Pantsyr-S1 self-propelled anti-aircraft missile and gun system, the Security Service of Ukraine told the Kyiv Independent.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) struck on June 28 the 1060th Material-Technical Support Center in the city of Bryansk, Ukraine's General Staff said.

The facilities store a Russian missile and drone arsenal, Ukrainska Pravda reported, citing a source in HUR.

Local residents reported hearing explosions and gun fire throughout the morning of June 28. Pictures posted on social media show smoke billowing from the area of where the centre, formerly the the 120th arsenal of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate, is located in an industrial area in the southern part of the city.

The General Staff said it was assessing the strike as extent of the damage was not immediately clear.

Bryansk Oblast Governor Alexander Bogomaz acknowledged a drone attack on the region overnight claiming that four civilians were injured in the attack, damaging ten homes and a vehicle.

Later in the morning, Bogomaz claimed that all the drones had been downed by Russian air defense unit in a separate attack, claiming that no damage had been inflicted. He did not mention the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate in his comments.

The Kyiv Independent cannot immediately verify the reports or claims made by Russian officials.

Bryansk Oblast, located in Russia's far-west, borders Ukraine's Chernihiv and Sumy Oblast, and has been the target of various Ukrainian strikes.

Ukraine's military regularly conducts strikes onto Russian and Russian-occupied territory.

Drones operated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) struck the Kirovske military airfield in occupied Crimea overnight on June 28, the SBU told the Kyiv Independent. The attack destroyed Mi-8, Mi-26 and Mi-28 attack helicopters, and a Pantsyr-S1 self-propelled anti-aircraft missile and gun system, the SBU claimed.

Ukrainian drone strike on Crimea air base destroys 3 Russian helicopters, SBU claims

The attack destroyed Mi-8, Mi-26 and Mi-28 attack helicopters, and a Pantsyr-S1 self-propelled anti-aircraft missile and gun system, the Security Service of Ukraine told the Kyiv Independent.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova

Russia launched its new Grom-1 bomb missile at Dnipropetrovsk Oblast for the first time on June 28, but it was shot down by Ukrainian air defenses, Governor Serhii Lysak said.

The attack comes as Russian troops continue their offensive in neighboring Donetsk Oblast, pushing closer to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast — a major industrial region in central Ukraine.

In mid-June, Ukraine's military denied reports that Russian troops had entered the region, with President Volodymyr Zelensky saying that Ukrainian troops had intercepted Russian reconnaissance units attempting to breach Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Explosions in Dnipro were heard around 11:30 a.m. local time, shortly after the Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia had launched guided aerial bombs.

The strike was later confirmed to have been launched from the Russian-occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

"The target flew more than 100 kilometers and was shot down by air defense outside the city of Dnipro," the statement read.

Authorities are verifying the wreckage of the downed weapon.

To date, neither Russian guided aerial bombs nor the Grom-1 bomb missile had previously reached the city of Dnipro.

The Grom-1 is described to be a hybrid of a guided aerial bomb and a missile, developed from the Kh-38 missile platform, with an estimated range of up to 120 kilometers.

Russia regularly uses guided aerial bombs to attack front-line areas in Ukraine's east and south, as well as regional centers such as Kharkiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia.

As Moscow intensifies its attacks on Ukrainian cities, earlier this week on June 24, Russian forces struck civilian infrastructure and a passenger train with ballistic missiles, killing at least 21 people and injuring more than 300 others.

Russia has amassed 111,000 troops near Pokrovsk, Syrskyi says

Pokrovsk remains the “hottest spot” along the front line but “the situation is under control” and Russia has not crossed the administrative border from Donetsk to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said.

The Kyiv IndependentAbbey Fenbert

Russian attacks against Ukraine killed 10 people and injured at least 50 others over the past day, regional authorities said on June 28.

Ukrainian forces downed 21 out of the 23 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones and decoys, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported.

One drone was intercepted by electronic warfare or disappeared from radars, according to the statement. Russia usually launches decoys alongside real drones to overwhelm Ukraine's air defense.

A Russian drone attack on the city of Odesa hit a high-rise building, killing a married couple and injuring at least 14 other people, including three children, Governor Oleh Kiper said.

A Russian missile strike on the city of Samar in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast killed five people and injured at least 25 others, Governor Serhii Lysak said.

Three men aged 30, 36 and 53 were injured in a Russian attack on Chuhuiv in Kharkiv Oblast, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.  

Russian attacks near Polohy and Vasylivka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast injured a man and a woman, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported.

Russian troops injured a man by dropping an explosive device on the Bilopillia community in Sumy Oblast, local authorities reported.

Two people were killed in Kostiantynivka and Ivanopillia in Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. Two others suffered injuries in the region over the past day.

In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces targeted 42 settlements, including the regional center of Kherson. One person was killed, and three others injured, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

Russia has amassed 111,000 troops near Pokrovsk, Syrskyi says

Pokrovsk remains the “hottest spot” along the front line but “the situation is under control” and Russia has not crossed the administrative border from Donetsk to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said.

The Kyiv IndependentAbbey Fenbert

Editor's Note: This is a developing story.

Russia attacked the southern city of Odesa overnight on June 28, killing two people and injuring at least 14 others, Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported.

The drone attack hit a 21-story building, causing a fire on the 7th, 8th, and 9th floors that left residents trapped in their apartments. First responders rescued five people, including a small child.

Two people, a married couple, were killed in the attack, Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper reported. Emergency workers recovered their bodies from the damaged building.

At least 14 other civilians were injured, including three children. Both are receiving treatment in medical facilities, Kiper said.

Ongoing air raid alarms throughout the night complicated rescue efforts, the State Emergency Service said.

Odesa, a port city on Ukraine's Black Sea coast with a population of around 1 million, has been a frequent target of Russian attacks since the full-scale invasion. A massive Russian drone strike on June 20 killed one civilian and injured 14 others, including three first responders.

Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities have intensified dramatically in May and June.

Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drones reportedly strike 4 fighter jets in Russia

Key developments on June 27: * Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drones reportedly strike 4 fighter jets in Russia * North Korea deployed 20% of Kim’s elite ‘personal reserve’ to fight against Ukraine in Russia, Umerov says * Pro-Palestinian activists reportedly destroy military equipment intended for Ukraine * Zelensky signs decree to synchronize Russia sanctions

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

A Russian missile strike on the city of Samar in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on June 27 killed five people and injured at least 25 others, Governor Serhii Lysak said.

In a statement posted to Telegram, Lysak said most of the injured were hospitalized. Four of the victims are in serious condition, while the others sustained moderate injuries. A fire broke out following the strike, and emergency services are continuing to work at the site.

"We're doing everything possible to assist those affected," Lysak said.

The attack comes just days after Russia launched one of the deadliest assaults on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. On June 24, missiles struck multiple locations in the regional capital of Dnipro and in the oblast, killing at least 21 people and injuring over 300 others.

The strike hit civilian infrastructure, a dormitory, a gymnasium, and a train traveling from Odesa to Zaporizhzhia, as well as the nearby town of Samarske. Two people were killed and 14 others wounded there. At least 100 victims of the Dnipro attack remain hospitalized, Lysak said.

Ukrainian drones strike Russian S-400 air defense system in occupied Crimea, HUR says

The attack damaged “critical and expensive components” of Russia’s S-400 Triumph air defense system, including two 92N2E multifunctional control radars, two 91N6E detection radars, and an S-400 launcher, according to HUR.

The Kyiv IndependentAbbey Fenbert

At least two civilians were killed and 13 were injured in Russian drone and missile attacks across Ukraine over the past day, local officials reported on June 27.

According to Ukraine's Air Force, Ukrainian air defense intercepted 365 of 371 incoming Russian air weapons, including 363 Shahed-type drones, two Kinzhal ballistic missiles, and six Kalibr cruise missiles.

In Kharkiv Oblast, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said one person was killed and four were wounded in Vovchanski Khutory and Pidlyman during a Russian attack. Infrastructure damage included houses and an agricultural facility. The region also endured heavy shelling.

In Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported one death, while three people were injured across Pokrovsk, Kramatorsk, and Bakhmut districts. Damage was observed to houses, a farm, administrative buildings, gas pipelines, and vehicles.

In Kherson Oblast, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said four people were injured as Russian drones and artillery struck social and residential infrastructure. Seven apartment buildings and 25 houses were damaged, along with utilities and vehicles.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Governor Ivan Fedorov said one person was injured when an air-dropped bomb hit a settlement in the Huliaipole district.

In Kyiv Oblast, a person was injured near Fastiv during an overnight drone and missile attack. One house was damaged each in Boryspil and Fastiv districts, while a tire repair shop and five cars were hit in Bila Tserkva. No critical infrastructure was reportedly affected, and air defense forces shot down Russian drones and missiles.

Putin under pressure to declare war on Ukraine, but experts say Russia isn’t ready

Despite suffering over 1 million casualties, pounding Ukrainian cities nightly with missiles and drones, and committing countless war crimes, one startling fact about Russia’s full-scale invasion remains — Moscow has yet to officially declare war on Ukraine. In February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin described what he believed was going to be a swift victory and the capture of Kyiv within days as a “special military operation.” Nearly three-and-a-half years later, the Kremlin is stuck

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Short-range drone attacks have become one of the deadliest threats to civilians in Ukraine’s front-line regions, killing at least 395 people and injuring 2,635 between February 2022 and April 2025, according to a new bulletin by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.

The report, "Deadly Drones: Civilians at Risk from Short-Range Drones in Frontline Areas of Ukraine," highlights the growing use of first-person-view (FPV) drones by Russian forces and their devastating impact on the civilian population.

The bulletin documents attacks in which drone operators deliberately targeted civilians engaging in daily activities — driving private cars, riding bicycles, walking outdoors, or evacuating others in clearly marked ambulances.

"Although individually less destructive than artillery or missiles, the sheer scale and increasing frequency of short-range drone attacks have made them one of the deadliest weapons in Ukraine," said Danielle Bell, head of the mission. "Over 3,000 civilian casualties — and the relentless frequency of these attacks — have not only caused immense human suffering but also instilled fear, severely disrupted daily life, and crippled access to essential services in several frontline communities."

The monitoring mission documented, verified, and analyzed 3,030 civilian casualties resulting from short-range drones between 24 February 2022 and 30 April 2025. The researchers conducted site visits to very high-risk areas, including the southern city of Kherson, Zolochiv in Kharkiv Oblast, and other front-line locations. Investigators interviewed survivors and witnesses of drone attacks, medical personnel, and humanitarian workers to assess the full impact of these strikes on civilian life.

Casualties surged in late 2023 and early 2024, with numbers suddenly doubling in July 2024. April 2025 marked the deadliest month on record, with 42 civilians killed and 283 injured. Drone strikes continued into May and June.

On 23 June, a 65-year-old driver was killed in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast, when a drone struck a minibus. In Kharkiv region, a 58-year-old volunteer was killed on 22 May when a drone dropped a munition on a residential balcony. On 20 May, six civilians were injured when a drone hit a bus in Kherson Oblast.

The vast majority of casualties — 89% — occurred in territory controlled by the Ukrainian government. The UN says these attacks violate international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction and precaution, and may in some cases constitute war crimes.

Facing manpower shortage, Ukrainian brigade turns to women in first-ever female recruitment drive

Editor’s note: This article originated as a winning story idea in a vote by members of the Kyiv Independent’s community. Join our community today and join our exclusive members-only Discord channel, where you can discuss and suggest stories, ask our journalists questions, and more. “Her strength is her

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Explosions were reported in Moscow overnight on June 26, prompting airport closures, with Russia's Defense Ministry claiming 50 Ukrainian drones were downed across the country.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said emergency services were at the sites where two drones were downed.

According to the Shot Telegram channel, which appears to be close to Russian security forces, debris from a downed drone struck a residential building.

"Alarms went off everywhere," a local resident told the channel.

Ukraine's military regularly strikes military targets deep within Russia in an attempt to diminish Moscow's fighting power as it continues its war against Ukraine.

Russia's Defense Ministry later claimed 50 Ukrainian drones had been downed across the country, two of which were "flying towards Moscow."

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims.

Kaluga airport and Moscow's Vnukovo airport had flight restrictions imposed amid the drone attack, Artyom Korenyako, a spokesperson for Russia's state aviation agency Rosaviatsia, said early on June 26.

"The airport is temporarily not accepting or sending flights. Aircraft crews, air traffic controllers, and airport services must take all necessary measures to ensure flight safety," he said.

The restrictions were later lifted.

Putin insists the Russian economy is fine, but Kremlin officials say otherwise

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The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Ukrainian drones have forced at least 217 temporary airport closures across Russia since Jan. 1, independent Russian outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe reported on May 14, citing data from Russia's state aviation agency Rosaviatsia.

The figure already surpassed the combined total for all of 2023 and 2024, underscoring Kyiv's growing ability to put pressure on Russia, even in areas far from the border with Ukraine.

According to Serhii Bratchuk, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Defense Army's Southern Division, the surge in disruptions reflects a strategic shift in Ukraine's drone campaign.

"Moscow is the biggest aviation hub in the Russian Federation — flights go everywhere, not only across Russia, but worldwide," he told the Kyiv Independent last month.

"This is about the potential disintegration of Russian regions and the weakening of internal control."

Ukraine has also had remarkable success using first person view (FPV) drones — on June 1, Ukraine launched a game-changing drone attack on four key Russian military airfields, damaging 41 planes, including heavy bombers and rare A-50 spy planes.

Kyiv claimed it disabled 34% of Russia's strategic bomber fleet in what is seen as one of the most daring operations during Russia's full-scale war.

Ukraine war latest: US signals more Patriot missiles for Kyiv after Zelensky-Trump talks at NATO summit

Key developments on June 25: * Zelensky, Trump hold talks on NATO summit sidelines * ‘Something unknown’ hits key Russian drone facility in Taganrog, Ukrainian official says * Russia has launched over 28,000 Shahed drones at Ukraine since 2022, with nearly 10% fired in June alone, Zelensky says * Donetsk Oblast city “on

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least 23 people and injured more than 300 others over the past 24 hours, local officials said on June 25.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russian forces launched 71 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys from multiple directions, including Bryansk, Millerovo, Kursk, and occupied Crimea. Ukraine's air defenses destroyed 52 of them.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a ballistic missile attack killed at least 20 people, 18 in Dnipro and two in the Samarskyi district, in one of the deadliest single attacks in recent weeks, governor Serhii Lysak said.

Nearly 300 people were injured, and extensive damage was reported to high-rise buildings, houses, dormitories, cars, schools, hospitals, administrative offices, and a passenger train. Drone strikes overnight also hit Nikopol and caused a fire in Synelnykove district.

In Kharkiv Oblast, nine people were injured in strikes on Kharkiv city, Kupiansk, and surrounding villages, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov. Russian forces used a mix of weaponry, including air-launched rockets, glide bombs, and various drones. Civilian infrastructure was damaged, including residential buildings, houses, and an industrial hangar.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, five peope were injured in attacks across the Zaporizhzhia, Vasylivka, and Polohy districts, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported. Russian forces conducted four missile strikes on Zaporizhzhia and eight airstrikes on several towns. Around 300 drones, and over 150 artillery strikes were recorded across 13 settlements.

In Donetsk Oblast, three civilians were killed in Pokrovsk, Zoloti Prudy, and Novoiavlenka, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. 11 more were wounded in the region over the past day.

Russia has launched over 28,000 Shahed drones at Ukraine since 2022, with nearly 10% fired in June alone, Zelensky says

Speaking on June 24, Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that Russia would never have been able to carry out such drone attacks without support from Iran, and Ukraine, in turn, could not have intercepted most of the drones without the help of its international partners.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

A key military-industrial site in the Russian city of Taganrog linked to Moscow's production of combat drones and electronic warfare systems was damaged overnight, a Ukrainian official said on June 25, amid Russian reports of Ukrainian drones targeting the area.

"Something unknown flew into the Atlant-Aero plant in Taganrog," Andrii Kovalenko, head of the counter-disinformation center at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council  said.

"This is an important node in the Russian military-industrial complex, specializing in components for combat drones and control systems."

Kovalenko said the plant is involved in the production of "Orion" drones, electronic warfare complexes, and digital integration systems for strike FPV (first person view) drones and loitering munitions.

Russian authorities reported a wave of overnight Ukrainian drone attacks across multiple regions, including Rostov, which borders eastern Ukraine. Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces shot down 40 Ukrainian drones over several areas, including the Crimean Peninsula and seven over the Rostov region.

Rostov Governor Yuri Slyusar said on Telegram that while there were no casualties, the strikes allegedly caused a fire at a sports complex and damaged a high school and two residential buildings in Taganrog. In nearby Azov, a grain warehouse and industrial facility were hit, he added, without providing further detail.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.

Throughout Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine and Russia have extensively invested in drone technology, revolutionizing the way wars are fought.

Ukraine has ramped up its domestic drone production and long-range strike capabilities as it seeks to weaken Russian military infrastructure deep behind enemy lines. Earlier in June, Ukrainian drones targeted long-range Russian bombers in an operation dubbed "Spiderweb."

Russia has escalated its missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, launching hundreds of drones during overnight assaults. Since February 2022, Moscow has launched 28,743 Shahed-type drones at Ukraine

Speaking at the NATO Defense Industry Forum in The Hague on June 24, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine can produce over 8 million drones of various types each year. He called for an increased investment from the allies to reach that potential.

More empty threats from Washington, more deadly bombs from Russia

The ongoing and escalating slaughter of Ukrainian civilians depends on two preconditions: Moscow’s determination to erase Ukraine, and the tacit permission it receives from America and Europe. On Monday, a Russian missile tore through a residential building in Kyiv, leaving at least six civilians dead and over a dozen

The Kyiv IndependentAndrew Chakhoyan

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Russia launched a deadly missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on June 24, striking civilian infrastructure and a passenger train, killing at least 17 people and injuring scores of others, local officials reported.

Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak said the morning strike ignited a large fire and also damaged a dormitory, a gymnasium, and an administrative building in the city.

The Russian military also struck the nearby town of Samarske, Lysak said. Casualties were reported in both locations.

"Unfortunately, there are dead and wounded everywhere," he said.

In Samarske, two people were killed, and 14 injured. Eight were hospitalized, with half of them in critical condition.

"As of now, more than 160 people are known to have been injured. Unfortunately, 11 people have died," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on social media, adding: "The rubble is still being cleared, so the death toll may, unfortunately, increase."

Around 8:30 p.m. local time, the death toll rose to 17, while the number of wounded increased to 279, including 27 children, Lysak reported.

Almost a hundred of the victims remain in hospital, according to Lysak.

Ukraine's national railway company, Ukrzaliznytsia, said that a train traveling from Odesa to Zaporizhzhia was damaged in the attack.

"Ukrzaliznytsia is preparing a replacement train in Dnipro to evacuate passengers to Zaporizhzhia," the company said in a statement.

In an update, Ukrzaliznytsia said no passengers or railway workers were killed in the attack, though several people sustained injuries and are receiving medical care.

The attack came as NATO leaders convened for a high-level summit in The Hague. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned on June 23 that Russia remains the alliance's most immediate and long-term threat.

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The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko

Editor's note: This story was updated to include comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Iran launched missiles toward Israel on June 24, just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between the two countries had come into effect, the Israeli military said. Iran denied the accusation.

"A short while ago, sirens sounded in northern Israel following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward the State of Israel," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.

"At this time, the IAF (Israeli Air Force) is operating to intercept and strike where necessary to eliminate the threat," the statement read.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the army to respond forcefully to Iran's ceasefire violation, Reuters reported. Katz said that Israel will continue to strike Iran after the "utter violation" of the ceasefire.

Shortly after Israel's statement, Iranian state media reported that Tehran denied firing missiles at Israel after the ceasefire began.

A senior security official in Iran told CNN that “no missiles have been fired at the enemy" after the ceasefire.

The reports come after days of escalating hostilities in the Middle East. Early on June 24, Trump declared in a Truth Social post that a ceasefire had begun, writing, "The ceasefire is now in effect. Please do not violate it!"

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on June 24 Israel had agreed to Trump's ceasefire proposal, claiming that Israel had "achieved its goal of removing the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile threat," according to Reuters.

Trump said later on June 24 that Israel needs to "calm down" after what he described as violations of the ceasefire by both sides.

"I gotta get Israel to calm down now," Trump said as he left the White House. "Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs, the likes of which I've never seen before, the biggest load that we've seen."

He added: "We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f*ck they're doing."

Trump also wrote on Truth Social that "Israel is not going to attack Iran."

"Nobody is going to be hurt. The Ceasefire in in the effect," U.S. president wrote,  

Previously, the U.S. launched airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan on June 21. In response, Iran fired missiles at U.S. military bases in the region, including at least 10 targeting Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and one aimed at a base in Iraq.

The Pentagon confirmed that Iran launched several short- and medium-range missiles at Al Udeid but reported no U.S. casualties. Trump dismissed the attacks as "limited and largely ineffective."

Iran is a key arms supplier to Russia, providing Shahed drones used in attacks on Ukrainian cities and pledging to send ballistic missiles. Israel, while home to a significant Russian-speaking population, has not joined Western sanctions against Moscow.

Ceasefire between Iran and Israel now in effect, Trump says

“The ceasefire is now in effect. Please do not violate it!” U.S. President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social on June 24.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

Russian attacks on Kherson Oblast killed four people and injured five others between June 23 and 24, local officials reported.

Russian forces launched drone and artillery strikes on dozens of settlements across the region, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram.

Twenty-nine settlements were affected, including the regional capital, Kherson, which shares the same name as the oblast.

The strikes damaged critical infrastructure and residential areas, including four private houses. A shop and several private vehicles were also reportedly damaged.

Kherson Oblast, located in southern Ukraine just north of Russian-occupied Crimea, has been repeatedly targeted by Russian forces since the start of the full-scale invasion.

Explained: How Ukraine and Russia swap prisoners of war

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The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko

Russian forces launched a drone attack on Kharkiv overnight on June 24, injuring three people and damaging civilian infrastructure, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.

The first explosions were reported around 2:00 a.m. local time, with three civilian injuries confirmed by 4:00 a.m., according to local officials.

Seven Iranian-made Shahed drones were launched at the city, three of which struck their targets, Terekhov said.

The strikes damaged a civilian enterprise in the Saltivka district and residential buildings in Nemyshlianskyi.

Emergency services responded to the affected sites.

In recent weeks, Moscow has been intensifying attacks against Kharkiv – Ukraine's second-largest city – which sits just over 20 kilometers (15 miles) from the Russian border.

A Russian drone attack against the city overnight on June 12 injured at least 15 people, including children.

‘Moscow is silent’ — Zelensky slams Russia’s hypocrisy over Iran strikes, own mass attack on Ukraine

“After the strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, there was an uproar from Moscow,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

Russian forces launched a drone attack on Sumy Oblast overnight on June 24, killing three people, including an 8-year-old boy, and injuring six others, local officials reported.

The strike targeted a settlement near Verkhnia Syrovatka around midnight local time, Governor Oleh Hryhorov said on Telegram. The victims included an adult man and woman, and the child.

As of 7:00 a.m. local time, six people – including three children – have been reported injured. All have been hospitalized and are receiving medical care.

The attack damaged about 30 residential buildings and four cars, and sparked a large-scale fire. Police investigators, rescue workers, and medics are responding at the scene.

Sumy Oblast, which borders Russia, has faced intensified assaults in recent weeks amid a broader Russian offensive along Ukraine's northeastern border.

Since March, Russian forces have reportedly captured around 200 square kilometers in the region, prompting evacuations from over 200 settlements.

Ukrainian forces, however, have been reportedly driving Russian troops back amid the continued cross-border attacks.

Ukraine war latest: ‘It was impossible to look at’ — Russian mass missile, drone attack on Kyiv kills at least 9, injures 33

Key developments on June 23: * ‘It was impossible to look at’ — Russian mass missile, drone attack on Kyiv kills at least 9, injures 33 * Ukraine strikes Atlas oil depot in Russia’s Rostov Oblast, General Staff says * Ukraine returns bodies of 3 Russian soldiers repatriated as remains of Ukrainians, Interior Ministry

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Three people were killed and at least 12 others injured after a Russian ballistic missile strike hit the city of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi in Odesa Oblast on June 23, Governor Oleh Kiper reported.

The attack targeted a local educational institution, destroying the building and leaving several people, including members of the teaching staff, possibly trapped under the rubble. No children were present at the time due to summer holidays, Kiper said.

As of 4:00 p.m. local time, three of the wounded were reported in serious condition, while the others — including two teenagers — were being treated for moderate injuries. The Air Force reported tracking two high-speed ballistic targets heading toward the city shortly before the strike.

Later in the day, Kiper reported that a 60-year-old woman died of her wounds at the hospital. Eight victims remained hospitalized as of 9:00 p.m. local time, while the rest were receiving outpatient care.

Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, a historic Black Sea city known for its Akkerman Fortress, lies near the mouth of the Dniester River.

Under international humanitarian law, the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure such as schools is forbidden and may constitute a war crime. Russia has repeatedly struck non-military sites throughout its full-scale invasion.

Earlier the same day, Russia launched another mass missile and drone attack on Kyiv, killing at least eight people and injuring 33 others, including four children, according to city officials.

‘It was impossible to look at’ — Russian mass missile, drone attack on Kyiv kills at least 8, injures 33

Russia launched a wave of missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and surrounding region overnight on June 23.

The Kyiv IndependentLucy Pakhnyuk

President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 23 highlighted Russia's hypocrisy for describing U.S. strikes on Iran as "grossly violating international law" just hours before launching yet another deadly mass missile and drone strike on Ukraine.

"After the strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, there was an uproar from Moscow," Zelensky said.

"The Russian leadership demonstratively condemned the 'missile and bomb' actions. Today, Moscow is silent — after its own army launched a cynical attack using Russian-Iranian 'Shaheds' and missiles on civilian infrastructure in Kyiv and other cities."

Moscow on June 22 condemned the recent U.S. strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.

"The irresponsible decision to subject the territory of a sovereign state to missile and bomb strikes, no matter what arguments are used, is grossly violating international law, the U.N. Charter, and the resolutions of the U.N. Security Council," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Overnight on June 23 a devastating Russian missile and drone strike on Kyiv killed at least 7 people and injured dozens more, including children.

The attack was one of the largest air assaults on the capital this year, with 368 aerial weapons launched, including 159 Iranian-made Shahed drones and 16 missiles, according to Ukraine's Air Force.

Air defenses intercepted most, but not all. The attack hit six locations directly, causing destruction in 25 separate sites across Kyiv and the wider region.

Governor of Kyiv Oblast Tymur Tkachenko reported 6 people were killed, with 25 other injured in Kyiv alone, including four children.

In his remarks, Zelensky also warned of a growing alliance between Russia, Iran, and North Korea — a "coalition of killers," he said, and urged countries near these regimes to consider whether they can defend themselves if such a bloc continues to spread terror.

"Each country neighboring Russia, Iran, and North Korea should ask whether their own defenses are enough if this axis of evil preserves and remains unchecked," he said.

Zelensky, speaking ahead of meetings with British officials during his visit to the U.K., said he would push for stronger collective air defense and tougher sanctions on Russia.

Zelensky's comments came just a day after Ukraine's Foreign Ministry called for the dismantling of Iran's nuclear program following U.S. air strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

"Iran is complicit in the crime of aggression against Ukraine," the ministry said in a June 22 statement. "The Iranian regime is providing military assistance to Russia, including the supply of UAVs and technologies that Russia consistently uses to kill people and destroy critical infrastructure."

The statement followed U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of successful air strikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran, Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, conducted in coordination with Israel.

Moscow, which condemned the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, has long cooperated with Tehran on nuclear and military matters. Russia supplied Iran with its first nuclear power plant and has relied on Iranian drones throughout its invasion of Ukraine.

Russia pulls its scientists out of Iranian nuclear plant, as Israeli strikes threaten decades of collaboration

Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities have alarmed none more than Russia, the country that first brought nuclear power to Iran in defiance of Western objections. We’re “millimeters from catastrophe,” said Kremlin spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on June 18 in response to a bombing campaign that Israel launched against

The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post

Russian attacks have killed at least 13 civilians and injured 57 across multiple oblasts over the past day, Ukrainian officials reported on June 23.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia deployed 368 aerial weapons, including 352 attack drones, 11 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, and 5 Iskander-K cruise missiles, striking primarily Kyiv. Ukraine's air defenses destroyed 354 of them.

In Kyiv Oblast, Governor Mykola Kalashnyk said a person was killed in Bilotserkivka district, two were hospitalized, and two others received on-site medical aid. Attacks damaged houses in three districts: Boryspil, Bila Tserkva, where a medical facility in a hotel was destroyed, and Bucha, damaging several houses and vehicles.

In Kyiv city, Mayor Vitali Klitschko and Kalashnyk reported 6 killed and 25 injured, including a pregnant woman and a child rescued from a damaged 25-story building in the Shevchenkivskyi district.

In Kherson Oblast, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said Russian drone, artillery, and air attacks hit numerous settlements, including Kherson city. Infrastructure damage included seven apartment buildings, 14 houses, a gas pipeline, a garage, and vehicles. One person was killed, and six were wounded. Early June 22, three more people were injured across the oblast.

In Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported that a Russian attack killed two residents in Siversk and Myrne, with five more wounded. The numbers exclude casualties in occupied Mariupol and Volnovakha.

In Chernihiv Oblast, Russian missile and drone strikes killed at least three people and injured 11 others, including four teenagers, Governor Viacheslav Chaus said. The attacks damaged houses, businesses, and infrastructure across multiple districts, including Chernihiv, Nizhyn, Pryluky, Korukivka, and Novhorod-Siverskyi.

Russia preparing military operations in Europe, Zelensky says

“We are observing a continued intellectual decline within the Russian leadership and have evidence that they are preparing new military operations on European territory,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated as new details emerge.

Russia launched a mass missile and drone attack on Kyiv overnight on June 23, killing at least nine people and injuring 33 others, including four children, local officials reported.

Kyiv Independent journalists heard explosions and kamikaze drones flying overhead from around 1 a.m. Louder explosions from ballistic missiles were heard an hour later, with the attack lasting around 3.5 hours in total.

The heaviest damage occurred in the Shevchenkivskyi district of the city, when a five-story building partially collapsed after being hit by a ballistic missile, Ukraine's military reported. At least nine people died as a result, and more may be trapped under the rubble.

An 11-year-old girl was confirmed as the ninth victim of the strike, Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, said. Her mother's body was recovered earlier from the rubble.

Student Veronika Sherinova, who lives in a nearby building, said she didn't sleep all night — first because she was hiding from the attack, then because the missile strike shattered the windows in her home and neighboring apartments.

"Most of my former classmates lived in this building (that was hit), most of my friends and acquaintances, too," she told the Kyiv Independent at the site of the strike. "We got dressed right away and went over."

"When my mom and I arrived, I saw them coming out in just their underwear, covered in blood, wounded. It was impossible to look at. It was pure shock. We were all in a state of shock."

At first, she just wanted to help clear the shattered glass and debris. But after seeing the extent of the destruction, Sherinova realized that some of the people she knew might not have survived the attack.

"The strike hit exactly the floors where our friends lived," she said. "Unfortunately, they didn’t survive. My other friends did — they were on the first floor," she added, her eyes filling with tears.

"It was a miracle they came out without a single scratch. But the upper floors were just blown away, there wasn’t even a chance for anyone up there to survive."

According to Sherinova, the Russian strike killed a family living on the upper floor — a father, mother, and grandfather — but their teenage son survived.

"We suspected it right away, but we didn’t want to believe it until the very end. But then we found out that they were the first ones they carried out," she said. "The boy is in shock right now; he doesn’t realize what’s happened. He’s just not reacting at all."

She said her two other friends who lived in the building left for abroad immediately after the strike.

"They went abroad — they took a bus and left right away."

State Emergency Service spokesperson Svitlana Vodolaha told journalists at the site that when rescuers arrived, they had been told only a few people would be affected there.

"As it turned out, the information we had was not reliable — there were more people here than we had been told. At this moment, we still don’t have complete information on how many people might be trapped under the rubble," Vodolaha said.

"That’s why we’ll keep working until the very end, until we’re completely sure no one is left under the debris."

Shortly after their arrival, rescuers pulled 10 people from under the rubble, including two children and a pregnant woman, Vodolaha said.

Vodolaha did not rule out the use of cluster munitions in this attack. After arriving at the site, Kyiv Independent journalists observed holes in the building across from the one that was hit, resembling those from the previous strike on the capital on June 17.

Cluster munitions are banned under international law by more than 100 countries due to their indiscriminate nature and the long-term threat they pose to civilians, especially when unexploded submunitions remain hidden in residential areas.

"It’s possible as such incidents have happened not only during today’s attack but at other times as well," Vodolaha said.

"I think everyone has noticed how our attacks have become longer and more intense, even across the capital," she added. "That’s why this morning we were working simultaneously at 15 locations."

Fifteen-year-old Roman Turko arrived at the site in the morning after the attack with his friend. His uncle lived in the destroyed building but, luckily, wasn’t home when the strike happened.

"He’s currently serving (in the military), he’s a border guard. He was on duty, so luckily he wasn’t home," Turko told the Kyiv Independent. "His apartment doesn’t really exist anymore: The balcony is gone, the walls are gone."

"If he had been there, it probably would have been the end for him."

After surviving such a heavy attack, Sherinova is now considering leaving Kyiv, at least for a while. But she says it feels like there’s nowhere left to hide from the Russian war.

"There’s a kindergarten nearby where my mom works. It has a shelter, and that’s where we usually go when we see reports of (Russian) jets taking off or a possible strike."

"But today it happened so suddenly, we wouldn’t have had time to run anywhere. We just stepped into the hallway, crouched down, and covered our eyes and ears," she said.

"It’s hitting everywhere, strikes are happening everywhere. I still can’t believe it happened to me, to my neighborhood, where I was born and have lived my whole life."

"I just can’t believe it. I’m still in such a state of shock, looking at all of this and not believing it really happened."

In the wider Kyiv Oblast, a woman was killed and eight others injured in Bila Tserkva, the Kyiv Oblast Military Administration reported.

Casualties were also reported in other areas around the capital in Kyiv Oblast, including Bucha, a town just northwest of Kyiv.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia deployed 368 aerial weapons, including 352 attack drones, 11 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, and 5 Iskander-K cruise missiles, striking primarily Kyiv. Ukraine's air defenses destroyed 354 of them.

Russian forces reportedly struck six locations directly, with debris falling in 25 sites across Kyiv and its surrounding region.

Earlier, it was reported that a high-rise apartment building was damaged as a result of the attack in the area, as well as an exit at the Sviatoshyn metro station and a nearby bus shelter.

Reports indicate that the Darnytskyi, Podilskyi, Solomianskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, and Sviatoshynskyi districts had been affected by the attack.

Fires also broke out in the Podilskyi district, where debris struck a residential building and a vehicle.

A large fire was also reported at a four-story office building in the Solomianskyi district. The fire reportedly covered an area of 800 square meters, the State Emergency Service said, with firefighting efforts ongoing.

Drone strike debris also landed in an open area of a stadium in Sviatoshynskyi without causing injuries or fire.

President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, noting that while Moscow had previously criticized strikes on Iran's nuclear program, it remained silent following its own "cynical" bombardment of Kyiv with Shahed drones and missiles.

"Only in Kyiv, five apartment buildings were damaged. These are ordinary residential buildings," he said, adding that one person was also killed in Bila Tserkva after a Shahed drone hit a hospital.

Zelensky said the attack damaged sites in four Ukrainian regions and involved 352 drones—including 159 Shaheds—and 16 missiles, possibly including North Korean ballistic missiles.

"Every country near Russia, Iran, and North Korea should be thinking about whether they can protect life if this coalition of killers continues spreading terror," Zelensky said.

The attack on the capital comes just days after Russia launched one of its largest attacks on Kyiv, killing 28 people and injuring 134 others.

Russia's latest round of large-scale attacks comes as Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi warned on June 21 that Russian forces are attempting to advance along almost the entire front in eastern Ukraine while trying to establish a buffer zone in northeastern Sumy Oblast.

Russia seeks to advance along almost entire eastern front, Ukraine holding ground in Kursk Oblast, Syrskyi says

As of mid-June, Ukrainian defenders are fighting close to 695,000 Russian troops in Ukraine across a 1,200-kilometer (750-mile) front, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said.

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

Editor's note: This is a developing story.

Russia launched a missile attack on June 22 on the training ground of a Ukrainian mechanized brigade, where military personnel were being trained, the Ground Forces reported.

"Unfortunately, there are dead and wounded," the statement read. The Ground Forces said that greater personnel losses were avoided thanks to the timely security measures taken when the air raid alert was issued.

Around 5:30 p.m., the Ground Forces initially said that three people were killed in the attack and 11 were wounded.

The number of injured was later updated, at around 7:30 p.m., to 14 people.

A special commission has been set up at the Ground Forces Command to investigate the incident, according to the statement. Law enforcement agencies are also working at the scene.

It is the second officially confirmed Russian attack in June that led to military casualties in the training facilities, adding to a chain of such attacks in the past few months.

Former Ground Forces Commander Mykhailo Drapatyi had promised to ensure new safety standards on the training grounds and hold accountable those responsible for the deaths after a Russian strike on March 1 on the training ground in Dnipropetrovsk during exercises.

Yet on May 20, another Russian missile strike against a shooting range in Sumy Oblast killed six service members and injured over 10, according to Ukraine's National Guard.

After another Russian attack on June 1 on a Ukrainian military training ground killed 12 and injured 60, Drapatyi submitted his resignation as the Ground Forces Commander. He was appointed Commander of the Joint Forces on June 3.

Ukraine's swift release of the statement and casualty number in the latest Russian attack stands out, as both Ukraine and Russia rarely acknowledge successful enemy attacks against their military facilities.

Ukrainian Land Forces Commander resigns after Russian attack that killed 12 soldiers on training ground

Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi submitted his resignation on June 1.

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk