Russia has suffered catastrophic losses and can no longer launch major offensives. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that after the summer offensive campaign, Russian forces no longer have the resources for large-scale attacks, UNIAN reports. 

Four Russian offensive directions

“Russia selected four main directions according to all documents and intelligence data. We only didn’t know the sequence, but it happened:

• The offensive in the Sumy direction
• the Novopavlivka operation,
• the Pokrovsk operation,
• the Zaporizhzhia direction,” Zelenskyy explains.

Failure in Sumy and heavy losses

Russian forces were defeated in the Sumy direction and had to redeploy to other fronts.

“They suffered heavy losses, primarily personnel. Today, they have abandoned this direction and shifted their resources and troops elsewhere. I believe they incurred even more losses there,” Zelenskyy says.

No more large-scale offensives

Thanks to the successful actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Russian troops have lost enough personnel to prevent them from conducting major offensives.

“At this point, they do not have sufficient forces for mass operations,” Zelenskyy stresses, noting that details of the losses will be published in the coming days.

Today, there is important news from the Pokrovsk direction in Donetsk Oblast.

Here, Russia’s offensive around Pokrovsk has finally collapsed into disorganized, scattered assaults, exposing the total breakdown of its campaign. Seizing the moment, Ukrainian forces struck back with momentum, liberating another key town and turning the tide of the battle.

Russia’s flanks crumble near Pokrovsk

The fighting around Pokrovsk has entered a new phase, where the intensity of Russian assaults on the flanks has clearly declined and their once grand offensive has fractured into scattered, uncoordinated attacks. What remains is little more than small groups probing Ukrainian defenses, seemingly just to avoid a complete halt that would openly expose the failure of the Russian campaign.

On the western flank near Udachne, Russian efforts have been reduced to chaotic infiltration attempts without any combined arms support. On the eastern flank near Myrnohrad, the story is much the same, with piecemeal assaults ending in abandonment of vehicles and panicked retreats under Ukrainian fire. The larger picture is unmistakable, as the Russian encirclement attempts around Pokrovsk have fallen apart.

Ukraine has seized the opportunity to strike back, and near Udachne, the lack of Russian coordination was turned against them. Ukrainian forces launched a deliberate push, clearing the settlement and raising the national flag over its center. What had been temporarily filled with scattered Russian infiltrators was retaken swiftly, with videos showing Ukrainian units inside the village. The half-hearted Russian attempts to regain ground have been nothing short of disastrous. Assaults sent down predictable roads ended with fields littered with bodies, creating roads of death that Ukrainians control tightly with drones and artillery.

A similar pattern unfolded near Myrnohrad on the eastern flank, where the Ukrainians knocked out a handful of Russian armored assaults, before moving in to finish off the remnants.

Footage from near Hrodivka shows Russian soldiers abandoning positions and fleeing under pressure from Ukrainian marines in hot pursuit, confirming that momentum has swung decisively on this flank as well.

Pipeline infiltration ends in failure

It is in this environment of failure that the Russian command has once again turned to bizarre symbolic operations to save face. The answer, incredibly, was to repeat one of their infamous pipe operations, stuffing troops into sewer systems in the hope of infiltrating Pokrovsk and producing some footage of progress.

The Russians have repeatedly tried these tactics in several sectors already, with varying degrees of success and failure. Now, the repetition has played out the same way, with Russian soldiers crawling through the filth only to be eliminated.

After the Russians released a video in which they allegedly try to break into Pokrovsk through the sewer, a Ukrainian officer said they were aware but were not worried. The Ukrainian defenders employed specialist who previously worked on the local pipe network, who stated that advancing through sewer pipes toward Pokrovsk is impossible due to their condition and construction, as they either lack the necessary diameter for a person to pass through or are filled with waste.

Offensive ends with high losses

Obviously, the Russian commanders were lacking this information when they sent their troops inside, and besides the initial footage at the very beginning where the pipes were still wide enough to crawl through, the most likely outcome was suffocation in the pipes at a later stage of the operation with them unable to turn around and withdraw.

Despite being a valid attempt to try to surprise the Ukrainian defense from behind, this effort proved entirely meaningless, and it is very unlikely to have succeeded because of the Ukrainian high alertness due to all recent infiltration attempts in and around Pokrovsk.

Overall, Russia committed significant resources and manpower to the Pokrovsk axis, throwing battalion after battalion against Ukrainian defenses. Yet every thrust on the western, eastern, and northern flanks has collapsed, leaving nothing but wrecked vehicles and soaring casualty lists. To distract from this, commanders have resorted to sewer infiltrations and other theatrics that fail to alter the battlefield balance.

With autumn rains fast approaching, Russia’s much-hyped summer offensive has ended without achieving its main goal of capturing Pokrovsk. Instead, Ukrainian countermeasures have not only preserved the town but have rolled back enemy gains, and Russian bodies littering the fields and underground sewer lines.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.

The casualty count from a Russian airstrike on Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast has risen to 15 civilians, according to the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office.

Prosecutor’s office spokeswoman Anastasia Medvedevasaid that the injured have been diagnosed with “mine-explosive injuries, concussions, bruises and cut wounds of various parts of the body, fractures.” One person remains in moderate condition.

Russian occupation forces struck the central part of Kramatorsk late on the evening of 14 September using three high-explosive aerial bombs equipped with UMPK modules, according to the prosecutor’s office. Initial reports Monday morning indicated nine injured civilians.

The overnight assault extended beyond Kramatorsk. Russian forces attacked Zaporizhzhia district during the night of 15 September, causing fires in private houses, regional officials report. No casualties have been confirmed in Zaporizhzhia at this time.

The Zaporizhzhia strike formed part of a broader Russian offensive that began at 7:00 PM on September 14. Russian forces launched three S-300 surface-to-air missiles from Kursk and Belgorod oblasts, along with 84 strike drones including Shahed, Gerbera, and other types from six directions: Kursk, Bryansk, Orel, Millerovo, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk, according to Ukrainian military reports. Approximately 50 of the drones were Shaheds.

Russian military leadership denies targeting civilian infrastructure during the full-scale war, despite documented strikes on hospitals, schools, kindergartens, energy facilities, and water supply systems. Ukrainian authorities and international organizations classify these attacks as war crimes committed by the Russian Federation.

Ukrainian rescue workers pulled the body of a third victim from the rubble of a destroyed nine-story apartment building in Kyiv, bringing the total death toll from 7 September massive Russian attack to three people, according to the State Emergency Service. The man was not yet identified.

The two other victims were identified as 32-year-old Viktoriia Hrebeniuk, an employee of charitable organization “100% Life,” and her two-month-old son Roman.

Her colleague Yulia Melnyk described Viktoriia on Facebook as “an incredibly kind, decent and wonderful person” whose support, leadership and professionalism would not be forgotten.

Her friend Maryna Novak wrote that Hrebeniuk “had just received such a dream life, family, husband, little son” and “loved life and people above all else.”

Twenty people were injured in the capital, with seven requiring hospitalization. Among the hospitalized is a 24-year-old pregnant woman in extremely serious condition who underwent emergency delivery after the attack. The premature infant is currently in intensive care, according to hospital officials.

Four patients remain in critical condition in the burn unit, including the new mother and elderly residents aged 72 and 74.

Search and rescue operations have ended at the partially destroyed apartment building where Russian strike killed three people.

Meanwhile, President Trump expressed clear frustration with the escalation of Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities following the assault.

“I am not thrilled with what’s happening there,” Trump said of Russia’s attacks. “I believe we’re going to get it settled. But I am not happy with them. I’m not happy with anything having to do with that war.”

The president indicated he plans to speak with Putin in the coming days about ending the war.

US President Donald Trump told reporters he will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming days.

The announcement came on 7 September at Andrews Air Force Base, where Trump stated he would address “the Russia-Ukraine situation” and expressed confidence that his administration would resolve the conflict.

“Very soon. Over the next couple of days. Look, we’re going to get it done. The Russia-Ukraine situation. We’re going to get it done,” Trump said, CNN reports.

Trump expressed clear frustration with the escalation of Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities.

“I am not thrilled with what’s happening there,” the president said of Russia’s attacks. “I believe we’re going to get it settled. But I am not happy with them. I’m not happy with anything having to do with that war.”

US Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellog warned that Russia does not appear to be willing to end the war through diplomatic means.

He shared a video from Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko showing the damaged interior of the government’s headquarters in Kyiv.

Svyrydenko urgently called on international partners to provide stronger air defense systems and tougher sanctions.

“History shows events can escalate out of control through actions as these. The attack was not a signal that Russia wants to diplomatically end this war,” Kellogg wrote.

Trump also indicated that European leaders would visit the White House early this week, suggesting these meetings could contribute to addressing the war resolution.

These statements came after Trump signaled his administration’s readiness to implement a second phase of sanctions against Russia. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has announced the United States’ willingness to increase pressure on Russia, contingent on European support for such measures.

In the early hours of 7 September, Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine, using over 800 drones and several missiles to strike more than a dozen locations. Despite a major interception effort by Ukrainian air defense, dozens of Russia’s explosive drones and missiles reached their targets, killing civilians, injuring scores, and damaging infrastructure across multiple oblasts.

Kyiv: fires and civilian deaths

Kyiv was among the hardest-hit cities last night and this morning. Two people were confirmed killed, including an infant whose body was pulled from rubble, and more than 20 others were injured.

One woman died while sheltering in a basement in Darnytskyi District. The Kyiv Military Administration reported significant fire damage in the Pecherskyi District after a government building was hit by drone debris. The Cabinet of Ministers building caught fire after a strike.

In Sviatoshynskyi District, two nine-story apartment buildings ignited, and the top floor of a sixteen-story residential building was also engulfed in flames.

Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said that in Sviatoshynskyi District, a fire broke out in a nine-story residential building as a result of the Russian attack, causing partial destruction between the fourth and eighth floors.

“Unfortunately, two people were killed at this location — a woman and her two-month-old child. It is likely that more people remain trapped under the rubble. Over 20 others were injured,” Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko added.

Later that morning, Klitschko said authorities were still searching for the body of a third suspected victim under the ruins.

The city recorded more than 10 damaged sites. Over 400 emergency workers and nearly 100 vehicles, including helicopters, were deployed to respond, according to Klymenko.

Odesa: residential and civil infrastructure hit

In Odesa and the Odesa district, drone strikes caused multiple fires in residential buildings and critical infrastructure.

According to the Odesa Oblast Military Administration, three people were injured: a 73-year-old woman and a 27-year-old woman were hospitalized, and a 36-year-old man received treatment on site.

The Russian attack damaged a nine-story building, with fires on the upper floors. Firefighters also responded to blazes in warehouse facilities and vehicles. The local Palace of Sports sustained damage.

The air raid alert began at 22:34 on 6 September, with explosions reported starting at 04:08. The all-clear was given at 05:33.

Zaporizhzhia: kindergarten destroyed, civilians injured

On 6 September, Russian drones struck Zaporizhzhia, heavily damaging a kindergarten, where 80% of the building was destroyed. The Russian attack injured a total of 17 civilians, according to local authorities. Sixteen apartment buildings and twelve one-family houses suffered damage.

Fires erupted in residential areas, a critical infrastructure site was reportedly struck, and explosions damaged roofs, balconies, and windows.

One person was rescued from under debris. The regional prosecutor reported Russia’s use of Shahed-type drones, and a criminal investigation was launched.

By today, emergency operations had shifted from rescue to recovery.

Zaporizhzhia’s Novopavlivka: Russian air strike killed married couple

On 7 September, a Russian airstrike targeted Novopavlivka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Two people — a married couple — were killed. The woman died immediately; her husband’s body was later pulled from the rubble by rescue workers. Several homes were destroyed, according to local authorities.

Kryvyi Rih: missiles hit homes and infrastructure

At least two waves of Russian missiles targeted Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast during the Russian attack overnight on 7 September. The strikes injured three men, one of whom is in serious condition.

The city’s defense council head, Oleksandr Vilkul, said missiles struck transportation infrastructure, industrial sites, private homes, and high-rise buildings. Fires were reported at multiple sites. Public transit was partially disrupted.

A second missile strike later in the morning caused further damage and triggered a fire. Emergency response teams and civil infrastructure repair crews were deployed. 

Poltava Oblast: bridge damaged, train routes changed

In Poltava Oblast, Russia strikes hit infrastructure in Kremenchuk and Poltava districts. A detached home, a business, and the Dnipro bridge in Kremenchuk were damaged. Though the authorities reported no casualties, the bridge was closed to traffic. Poltava district authorities confirmed a municipal building was also hit.

Mayor Vitalii Maletskyi said the bridge is managed by Ukrzaliznytsia railway company, and structural assessments are underway. Due to damage, Ukrzaliznytsia altered a few train routes, and passengers are transported to Kremenchuk by bus. Two local electric trains were canceled for 7 September.

Sumy Oblast: woman killed in tent camp, child among injured

In the evening of 6 September, a Russian drone struck a tent camp near the town of Putyvl in Sumy Oblast. The attack killed a 51-year-old woman by shrapnel before medical help arrived. Eight others were injured, including an 8-year-old boy and both his parents. According to Putyvl mayor Kostiantyn Havrylchuk, most of the injuries were minor. The Sumy Oblast Prosecutor’s Office reported the attack occurred around 21:40.

In a separate incident in the Krasnopilska community, a 57-year-old man was hospitalized after a Russian drone struck his vehicle.

Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Kherson oblasts: ongoing civilian toll

Russian shelling and air attacks continued across Kharkiv Oblast, where one civilian was killed and six were injured in 14 separate locations over the past 24 hours, according to oblast head Oleh Syniehubov.

In Donetsk Oblast, Russian forces killed two people — in Drobysheve and Hryshyne — and injured nine more, as reported by oblast head Vadym Filashkin.

In Kherson Oblast, two civilians were reported injured over the previous 24 hours, according to local authorities. Later in the morning of 7 September, Russian artillery struck Kherson’s Central District, injuring a 73-year-old woman with shrapnel wounds and a blast injury, the oblast administration added.

Nationwide defense and aftermath

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russia launched 805 Shahed drones, nine Iskander-K cruise missiles, and four ballistic missiles overnight. Ukraine’s air defense downed or suppressed 751 aerial targets, including 747 drones and four cruise missiles. Nevertheless, 56 drones and nine missiles struck 37 locations. Debris from downed drones caused secondary fires and destruction in at least eight other locations.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the Russian attack, calling it a “conscious crime” and urging the international community to implement previously promised sanctions and accelerate the delivery of air defense systems.

“These killings, at a time when real diplomacy could already be underway, are deliberate,” he said.

He confirmed that in Kyiv alone, two people had been killed and dozens injured, including a child, and emphasized that political will was all that was needed to stop further bloodshed.

“We also expect full implementation of all agreements aimed at strengthening our air defense. Every additional system saves civilians from these vile attacks,” Zelenskyy added.

Russian forces conducted a large-scale assault on Ukraine during the night of 3 September, deploying 526 missiles and drones across multiple regions and injuring at least four railway workers.

The coordinated attack targeted several Ukrainian oblasts with cruise missiles and attack drones, causing fires, infrastructure damage, and disrupting civilian life.

Ukrainian air defense forces successfully intercepted the majority of incoming targets, though some missiles and drones struck locations across the country while debris from downed targets caused additional damage.

Air force reports high interception rate

Ukraine’s Air Forces reported that Russian forces used X-101 and Kalibr cruise missiles along with Shahed-type attack drones and various decoy drones in the assault. According to the military statement, Ukrainian air defense systems neutralized 451 out of 526 Russian targets.

The interception breakdown included:

• 14 out of 16 Kalibr missiles
• seven out of eight X-101 missiles
• 430 out of 502 drones of various types.

The military confirmed that three missiles and 69 attack drones hit 14 locations, while debris from downed targets fell across 14 additional sites.

Kyiv region faces prolonged air alert

Air raid sirens wailed across Kyiv Oblast for nearly thirteen hours, the longest alert in Vyshhorod district since the full-scale war began. Residents spent the night in subway stations and basement shelters while air defense batteries engaged incoming threats overhead.

Debris from a successful intercept crashed between apartment buildings in Vyshhorod, igniting fires that emergency crews quickly contained. The falling wreckage shattered windows in 28 apartments and destroyed two vehicles. A kindergarten lost its windows to the blast wave.

Regional governor Mykola Kalashnyk reported no casualties despite the extensive property damage.

Railway workers injured in Kirovohrad region

The attack on Znamianka in central Kirovohrad Oblast specifically targeted railway infrastructure, resulting in injuries to four railway workers, according to Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine’s national railway company. The attack disrupted freight and passenger services along key supply routes.

Western regions experience fires and structural damage

In the western city of Lutsk, drone attacks caused fires in two garages and one outbuilding, while debris damaged another outbuilding and completely destroyed a private freight vehicle, according to mayor Ihor Polishchuk. The attacks reached deep into what many residents considered relatively safe territory.

The city of Khmelnytskyi sustained damage and fires that disrupted public transportation services, with mayor Oleksandr Symchyshyn reporting window damage to residential buildings.

The regional administration reported that Russian forces conducted two separate attacks using missiles and drones, resulting in fires at a garage complex where 10 garages were destroyed and five others caught fire.

According to the State Emergency Service, western Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast experienced warehouse fires at three locations in Kalush district, requiring 130 emergency workers and 35 units of emergency equipment for response operations.

Russia is deliberately targeting Western-linked sites in Ukraine to send a message of defiance against diplomatic efforts to end the war, The New York Times reports. The strikes — aimed at an American-operated factory and European diplomatic offices — signal a calculated rejection of peace talks and Western involvement, according to officials and military analysts cited by the outlet.

Kremlin uses strikes to resist Western diplomacy

On 21 August, Russian cruise missiles hit a factory in Mukachevo run by Flex Ltd., an American multinational company best known locally for making Nespresso coffee machines. The plant, Ukraine’s largest employer in Zakarpattia Oblast, had no role in military production, according to local officials and the company itself. Nonetheless, it became a target just six days after US President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss possible paths toward ending the war.

A week later, two more Russian missiles struck central Kyiv, damaging buildings housing the European Union delegation and the British Council. The diplomatic quarter in Kyiv had previously been spared by Russian forces. Following the strikes, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen publicly accused Moscow of intentionally attacking EU diplomatic infrastructure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is now “striking at everyone in the world who seeks peace.”

These strikes were not isolated. NYT notes that more than half of American companies operating in Ukraine have already sustained damage from Russian attacks. The list includes major international names such as McDonald’s, Boeing-affiliated facilities, and a Philip Morris plant. The Flex factory alone, which employed around 3,000 people at the time of the strike, was the largest taxpayer in its oblast and produced only commercial consumer products.

A shift toward punishing peace supporters

According to NYT, the Kremlin’s choice of targets — foreign-linked civilian infrastructure and cultural institutions — suggests a deliberate effort to intimidate and punish those backing Ukraine’s defense and sovereignty through diplomacy, investment, or postwar security guarantees. Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksandr Merezhko said the attacks are “a clear signal” that Putin now feels emboldened to extend the war beyond Ukraine and toward the West itself.

Franz-Stefan Gady, a military analyst based in Vienna, told NYT that Moscow is intentionally testing the boundaries of Western deterrence. The aim, he said, is to impose costs on Ukraine’s allies while avoiding direct military retaliation — a strategy designed to weaken Western resolve and push Ukraine into disadvantageous negotiations.

European governments are currently debating whether to send peacekeeping forces to Ukraine, and the strikes appear designed to dissuade that. Volodymyr Dubovyk, director of the Center for International Studies at Odesa I.I. Mechnikov National University, described the message from Moscow as clear: “Don’t you dare send your troops here.”

A pattern of escalation

The 28 August strike on Kyiv, which included hundreds of missiles and drones, killed at least 25 civilians — the deadliest attack on the capital since the Trump–Putin meeting. While none of the fatalities occurred at the damaged diplomatic offices, the choice of targets marked a dramatic shift in Russia’s strategy.

The Kremlin has dismissed negotiations as premature and rejected Western-proposed security guarantees for Ukraine. The Russian Ministry of Defense falsely claimed that its strike on the Mukachevo factory was aimed at the Ukrainian military-industrial complex. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told NBC News he had allegedly “never heard about” the Flex attack, while simultaneously denying that Russia targets civilian sites.

Following the attacks, President Trump said he was “not happy” with Russia’s actions. However, the US response so far has been limited to verbal disapproval, with no new sanctions or retaliatory steps announced.

Several hundred people gathered in Kyiv to bid farewell to 24-year-old Nadiya Halych and her two-year-old daughter Angelina, who died in Russia’s massive attack on the capital on the night of 28 August, reports Suspilne Kyiv.

The funeral service drew residents from the destroyed building in Darnytskyi district, neighbors, relatives, friends and classmates of the deceased Nadiya. 

Nadiya’s former homeroom teacher Natalia remembered her as a good student. “She was a cheerful and kind person who loved her younger sister,” the teacher said.

Near the damaged building, Kyiv residents created an improvised memorial where they bring flowers and toys alongside other tributes.

The attack occurred during Russia’s massive strike on Ukrainian cities on the night of 28 August, when Moscow deployed 629 aerial attack weapons. Residential high-rises in Kyiv sustained damage, particularly in Dniprovskyi district, where the attack destroyed an entire building entrance.

In the capital, 21 adults and four children died. Dozens more sustained injuries.

Russian forces targeted Kyiv with drones and missiles during the nighttime assault. The Darnytskyi district suffered the heaviest damage, with an entire entrance of a five-story building completely destroyed.

Rescue operations at the partially destroyed five-story building in Darnytskyi district concluded on the morning of 29 August. Search and rescue teams worked for over 30 hours. Twenty-two building residents died, including four children. The total death toll from the Russian attack in Kyiv reached 25 people.

On the evening of 29 August, the State Emergency Service announced that consequences of the rocket-drone strike in Kyiv had been eliminated. Rescuers operated at 19 locations across six districts of the capital, involving over 700 rescue workers, nearly 150 pieces of equipment and seven dogs. They managed to save 15 people, including four children.

Russian forces launched a series of drone and artillery attacks on Kherson on the morning of 31 August, causing significant damage to civilian and public infrastructure, local officials reported.

Civilians are frequently targeted in the city, with homes, public spaces, and energy facilities regularly hit, leaving residents at constant risk.

“A woman was fatally injured in the Dniprovskyi district after an explosive device was dropped from a drone,” said Oleksandr Prokudin, head of Kherson Regional Military Administration.

The National Police of Ukraine also reported that Russian forces shelled a park in the Central district, killing a 74-year-old man. 

Other strikes damaged homes, garages, and vehicles, and left several residents and police officers injured across Kherson Oblast.

Kherson sits on the bank of the Dnipro River, directly opposite Russian-held territory, making it vulnerable to repeated short-range attacks.

Since its liberation in November 2022, residents have faced so-called “human safaris,” in which Russian forces hunt civilians in the streets using explosive drones.

Rescue workers in Kyiv concluded operations at the site of a Russian missile strike on a residential building in the Darnytskyi district after more than 30 hours of work, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on 29 August.

Emergency services dismantled the main structural debris of the destroyed building to ensure no people remained trapped under the rubble. Some bodies have not yet been identified, and 8 people remain out of contact with their relatives, according to officials.

The Russian attack killed 23 people, with 22 deaths resulting from the direct hit on the Darnytskyi district building, authorities confirmed. Four children were among the victims, including a two-year-old girl who was the youngest casualty.

Emergency workers rescued 17 people from the debris, including 4 children. A total of 53 people were injured across the capital during the strike.

Emergency restoration work continues to allow residents of undamaged apartments to retrieve their belongings as quickly as possible, officials said.

The attack occurred during the night of 28 August, when Russian forces launched nearly 600 drones and 31 missiles at Ukraine, including Kinzhal and Iskander missiles. Kyiv recorded two direct missile hits on residential buildings.

The Kyiv City Military Administration described the consequences as record-breaking, with damage recorded in all city districts across 33 locations. The Darnytskyi and Dniprovskyi districts suffered the most damage, with one strike completely destroying an entrance to a five-story building.

The attack damaged offices of Ukrainska Pravda, Radio Liberty, the European Investment Bank, the EU mission, and the British Council.

White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt said President Donald Trump was “not satisfied, but not surprised” by Russia’s attack on Kyiv.

Ukraine secured the release of two journalists in its latest prisoner exchange on 24 August, but 28 more media workers remain in Russian captivity where evidence reveals they face systematic torture and abuse designed to break captives mentally and physically.

Ukraine’s Committee on Freedom of Speech called on the international community to maintain pressure on Russia, stating that “only publicity and persistent struggle bring closer the day when all Ukrainians will return home.”

On Ukraine’s Independence Day, the prisoner exchange occurred with assistance from the United Arab Emirates that released over 100 soldiers and civilians from each side. Among them were Ukrainian journalists Dmytro Khyliuk and Mark Kaliush.

Kaliush was detained in Melitopol on 20 August 2023. Russian authorities accused him of terrorism, espionage, and cooperation with Ukrainian special services. Now he awaits a long journey of receiving medical care and undergoing physical and mental rehabilitation, including reintegration into civilian life.

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Journalist abducted when full-scale invasion just began

Khyliuk’s captivity began in the first days of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The UNIAN news agency reporter was abducted from his family’s garden north of Kyiv in March 2022, less than two weeks after the war began. Russian forces initially held him in occupied Dymer before transferring him to Russia without any legal basis. 

Reporters Without Borders tracked him through multiple detention facilities, ultimately to a prison in the Vladimir Oblast east of Moscow.

Throughout his captivity, Russian authorities denied holding him despite evidence of his detention. In early June 2023, Khyliuk managed to send a message to his family:

“I am OK. I love you. Tell UNIAN that I am in prison in Russia.”

Sources who met the journalist in prison estimated that at least 300 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians were being held in the same facility, which has capacity for 1,200 detainees. 

Khyliuk spent over three years in Russian custody before his release—time during which he committed no crime beyond practicing journalism.

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The toll was severe: he now weighs less than 45 kilograms (99 lbs), his health deteriorated substantially due to heart problems and an abscess, and he faces a long rehabilitation ahead.

In a video recorded on the day of his release, Khyliuk described his final moments in captivity:

“There was a bandage on my face for a day and a half. My hands were wrapped with tape. They [Russians] treated you like cattle.”

But he expressed shock at learning about support back home:

“I didn’t hear, I don’t know anything about Ukraine because I heard nothing during these three years in captivity. I didn’t know that so many people here remembers us and fights for us.”

How Russian detention breaks Ukrainian prisoners

Russian detention centers operate what prosecutors call “a targeted system of repression” against Ukrainian civilians. The abuse follows deliberate policies orchestrated by Russian authorities, with evidence showing high-level security officials instructing prison staff to be cruel without repercussions.

Cells designed for eight people are crammed with around 15 detainees. Ukrainian prisoners have no contact with Russian inmates and are moved between cells every two months to prevent relationships from forming.

Former detainees report regular beatings, electric shocks, including on genitals, mock executions, and threats of sexual violence. Prisoners are subjected to prolonged stress positions, hung by arms or legs, and forced to endure positional torture while blindfolded. Both male and female prisoners face sexual violence and threats.

Daily life is designed for humiliation. Prisoners must stand for prolonged hours under camera surveillance, endure degrading treatment during daily checks including enforced nudity, and survive on inadequate food and medical care.

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Many Ukrainian prisoners are held in complete isolation, cut off from families, legal counsel, or the outside world for extended periods.

Former prisoners also describe the psychological warfare: captives are told they will be exchanged soon, only to have those promises broken repeatedly.

Most Ukrainian civilians are labeled as “witnesses”—meaning they face no official charges and have no access to legal representation. Their activities are limited to reading Russian propaganda books portraying Ukraine as a Nazi-controlled state or singing Russian patriotic songs.

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Price for being journalist in war-torn Ukraine

The broader assault on Ukrainian journalists has been devastating. Since Russia’s invasion began, at least 127 media workers have been killed, according to verified data from the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine and the International Federation of Journalists.

The breakdown reveals the war’s impact across different groups: 18 journalists died while performing professional duties, 10 were civilian casualties, and 99 media representatives who joined Ukraine’s Defense Forces were killed in combat.

The Institute of Mass Information reports Russia has committed 841 crimes against journalists and media in Ukraine over three and a half years of war.

“If Russia had not unleashed this shameful war, all these colleagues could have continued working successfully,” said NSJU Chairman Serhii Tomilenko. “But the aggressor state decided it was better for them to die, to leave families in deep grief, and people uninformed.”

Ukrainian journalist, investigating Russian torture, became its victim

The case of Viktoriia Roshchyna provides the most disturbing evidence of what happens to journalists in Russian custody.

The 26-year-old’s body was returned to Ukraine in February 2025 among 757 corpses exchanged with Russia, bearing unmistakable signs of torture and missing vital organs.

Forensic investigators found broken ribs, neck injuries, and possible electric shock marks on her feet. Critical organs were missing—parts of her brain, larynx, and eyeballs—which investigators believe represents an attempt to conceal the cause of death.

Roshchyna disappeared in August 2023 while investigating Russia’s detention system in occupied Zaporizhzhia, her home region.

She had been compiling a list of Russian Federal Security Service agents responsible for torturing Ukrainian civilians when she was captured.

Despite being previously detained for a week in March 2022, Roshchyna continued her dangerous work. Between February 2022 and July 2023, she traveled to Russian-held territories at least four times to document conditions there.

Her final reporting trip began in July 2023. She traveled from Kyiv to Poland, then crossed from Latvia into Russia on 26 July, ostensibly heading to Melitopol but first going to Enerhodar to investigate torture centers. Russian security services captured her shortly after.

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Former cellmates described her treatment in the SIZO-2 detention center in Taganrog.

“She was whipped and tortured on an equal basis with everyone else,” said Ukrainian prisoner of war Yevheny Markevich. One cellmate saw knife wounds on her arms and legs—”definitely on her arm and leg. She had a knife wound, a fresh scar between the wrist and elbow.”

The electric torture was repeated multiple times. “She said she was all blue,” a cellmate reported, adding that the electric current may have been connected to Roshchyna’s ears.

By summer 2024, her health had deteriorated dramatically. “She was in such a state that she could not even lift her head off the pillow,” witnesses reported.

Despite her suffering, Roshchyna remained defiant.

“She called them ‘executioners, murderers,'” Markevich recalled. “Personally, I admired it. None of us were like that.”

In late August 2024, her father received a call—her first contact in over a year. Speaking in Russian rather than Ukrainian, suggesting she wasn’t alone, Viktoriia told him she expected to be home in September. Instead, Russian authorities announced her death on 19 September, though witnesses report she was removed from her cell eleven days earlier.

Ukraine has charged in absentia Alexander Shtuda, head of Russia’s Taganrog detention center, with organizing the journalist’s torture. According to Ukrainian investigators, Shtuda deliberately organized the abuse because Roshchyna refused to cooperate with the prison administration.

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Ukraine reveals name of main torturer of journalist Roshchyna, who was killed in Russian detention center

Meanwhile, Ukrainian media organizations have called for international investigations into Roshchyna’s death. The OSCE Representative on Freedom of Media said he was “horrified” by the findings, emphasizing that such treatment violates the UN Convention Against Torture and the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Russia continues to hold an estimated 8,000 Ukrainian soldiers in captivity, while nearly 60,000 Ukrainians are considered missing—many likely facing conditions similar to what these journalists endured.

Tensions have flared between Moscow and its key ally, the one that has given unprecedented support in the killing of Ukrainians. During the Iran–Israel war in June 2025, the Kremlin passed information to Israel about Iran’s air defense centers, says Seyyed Mohammad Sadr, a member of Iran’s Expediency Council, Al Arabiya reports.

Alliance cracking at seams

“This war proved the uselessness of the strategic alliance with Moscow,” Sadr claims, stressing that the Kremlin essentially failed to support Tehran during its conflict with Israel.

Even when Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Moscow on 23 June requesting air defense systems and assistance for nuclear facilities, Russia limited itself to verbal condemnation of Israel’s attacks, according to Asriran. 

The visit happened during the Russia-US negotiations over Ukraine and when US President Donald Trump’s administation regarded Moscow as potential partner, which could secure Iranian nuclear technology. 

Russia emerges as potential mediator in Trump’s new Iran nuclear deal talks

Putin and Pezeshkian: strategic partnership on paper

In January 2025, the presidents of Russia and Iran, Vladimir Putin and Masoud Pezeshkian, signed a “strategic partnership” treaty in Moscow, which the Kremlin called “groundbreaking.”

However, during the war with Israel it became clear that Moscow was not ready to actually defend its ally. Moreover, back in 2024, Israel destroyed all Russian S-300 systems in Iran, while the promised S-400s were never delivered.

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.

Ukraine’s army chief warns of new Russian offensives in northeast as he visits Kharkiv Oblast front

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

Editor's note: The story was updated with the latest reports from Mykolaiv and Sumy.

Russian attacks against Ukraine have killed at least six civilians and injured at least 25 others over the past day, regional authorities reported on July 6.

Russian forces launched four S-300 anti-aircraft missiles from Russia's Kursk Oblast and 157 Shahed drones from Russia's Shatalovo, Millerovo, and Primorsk-Akhtarsk airfields, as well as from Russian-occupied Crimea, against Ukraine overnight, according to Ukraine's Air Force.

Ukraine's air defense shot down 98 drones, while another 19 disappeared from radar without causing any damage, according to the statement. Drones that disappear from radar before reaching their targets are often decoys that Russia launches alongside real drones to overwhelm Ukraine's air defense.

In Kharkiv Oblast, Russian forces attacked 13 settlements, killing two people and injuring 11 others, Governor Oleg Syniehubov reported.

An 8-year-old boy was killed, while a 3-year-old boy, a 40-year-old man, and a 36-year-old woman suffered injuries in the village of Odnorobivka.

In the town of Kupiansk, a 59-year-old man was killed, while a 56-year-old man, a 57-year-old woman, and two women aged 65 were injured due to the Russian strikes.

In Kharkiv, the regional capital, a 46-year-old woman and a 2-year-old girl suffered injuries.

The casualties were also reported in the villages of Prykolotne and Shyroke, where a 66-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman were injured.

In Donetsk Oblast, Russian forces killed a person in the town of Myrnohrad, and another person was killed in the village of Andriivka, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin.

In Andriivka, two people suffered injuries. Two more people were injured in the town of Siversk, and another one in the city of Pokrovsk.

In Kherson Oblast, Russia targeted 32 settlements, including the regional center of Kherson, over the past day. As a result of the attacks, two people were killed and three others were injured, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

In Mykolaiv Oblast, Russian drones attacked the port infrastructure in the regional center of Mykolaiv, damaging the power grid and warehouses.

A 31-year-old woman was injured and hospitalized, while a 35-year-old man, who also suffered injuries in the attack, was treated at the scene, according to Governor Vitalii Kim.

In Sumy Oblast, a Russian FPV drone attacked the Khotyn community, hitting a car and injuring a 49-year-old man, the local military administration reported. He was hospitalized.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a 39-year-old woman was injured in the attack against the Nikopol district. Russia targeted the area with FPV (first-person-view) drones and artillery, according to Governor Serhii Lysak.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Russian strikes injured an 89-year-old woman in the village of Yurkivka, the local military administration reported.

In Kyiv Oblast, Russia attacked the Vyshhorod district, injuring a 35-year-old man. He suffered shrapnel wounds, the local military administration reported.

In Poltava Oblast, Russian drones struck the city of Kremenchuk, hitting an enlistment office and a neighboring house. The attack caused a fire, but no casualties were reported, according to the local military administration.

Ukraine's Emergency Service also reported that Russia had carried out double-tap attacks in the cities of Kharkiv and Kherson when rescuers arrived at the impact sites. As a result of the attacks, tanker trucks were damaged, but no rescuers were injured.

Ukraine’s army chief warns of new Russian offensives in northeast as he visits Kharkiv Oblast front

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

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Life for children in Ukraine has become increasingly dangerous and deadly, according to the latest U.N. figures, which show a threefold jump in the number of deaths and injuries among children over the three months ending in May.

From March through May, 222 children were killed or injured, compared to 73 in the preceding three months, according to a press release from the U.N. Humanitarian Aid Organization for Children (UNICEF) on July 4.

The statement noted that "the ongoing use of explosive weapons in populated areas has been particularly deadly and destructive."

"There is no respite from the war for children across Ukraine," UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, Regina De Dominicis, said. "The situation for children is at a critical juncture, as intense attacks continue to not only destroy lives but disrupt every aspect of childhood."

In April alone, UNICEF noted, 97 children were killed or maimed, which was the highest figure that the U.N. has been able to verify since June 2022. Among the attacks in April was a strike on a playground in Kryvyi Rih, which killed nine children.

Recent months have seen some of the war's deadliest attacks on civilians, as Russia steps up its aerial strikes on civilian areas and launches record numbers of drones. Russia has dramatically increased its production of these weapons and is now capable of launching in a single night as many drones as it did over an entire month in early summer 2024.

At the same time, the U.S has halted a shipment of weapons that includes air defense missiles, which Ukraine critically needs to defend itself from Russia's attacks.

‘Nothing but terror and murder’ — Russia pounds Kyiv with ballistic missiles in massive overnight attack

Fires broke out across the city as Russia attacked the capital overnight on July 4. At least 23 people have been injured, with 14 of the victims hospitalized.

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

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 is a developing story and is being updated.

Two people have been killed and 80 others injured after explosions rang out beside a highway near the city of Zhytomyr, local officials reported.

The cause of the explosions was not immediately clear and is under investigation, Ukraine's National Police said.

Zhytomyr City Council reported that the explosions occurred unspecified facility located close to the M-06 highway near Zhytomyr. Serhii Sokalskyi, head of the Hlubochytska community in Zhytomyr Oblast, claimed that the explosions may have rang out at an industrial warehouse near the town of Berezyna — although those details have yet to be confirmed.

Vitaliy Bunechko, head of the Zhytomyr Oblast Military Administration, said that multiple homes and powerlines had been damaged in the explosions, while also confirming the closure of the highway as the investigation carries on.

Videos of the explosions posted to social media show large clouds of smoke billowing out of the area of the explosions.

No information was provided on the status of the injured victims. Emergency responders are currently on-scene.

Located about 140 km west of Kyiv, Zhytomyr has become an occasional target of Russian missile and drone attacks. In recent months, Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian cities, using upwards of 500 drones in attacks.

Despite the increase in attacks, support from Ukraine's largest defense partner, the United States, has continued to wane. Politico reported on July 1, citing sources familiar with the matter, that the U.S. Defense Department (DOD) has halted shipments of some air defense missiles and other weapons previously promised to Kyiv out of concerns over the size of U.S. stockpiles.

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The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

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

The Russian army attacked an evacuation vehicle carrying three wounded civilians, which resulted in the death of one of them, Ukraine's National Police reported on July 1.

Russia has for months focused its offensive efforts on the embattled town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast and has recently been escalating attempts to break through to neighboring Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a region that has not yet seen combat.

According to the police, Russian forces attacked the evacuation vehicles provided by chaplains three times: at the entrance to the city, in the city center, and during the evacuation of civilians from Pokrovsk. The police called Russia's actions "targeted hunting."

The police picked up one injured person in the city, and the other two — on the way to the hospital. In the meantime, the Russian army hit the car with a Molniya drone. As a result of the attack, one of the police officers was injured.

As the evacuation vehicle came under fire, one of the injured could not be brought to the hospital in time and died of blood loss.

"We called for reinforcements and sent the injured civilian with them, hoping for a miracle. But it did not happen, Russia took another life," Hennadii Yudin, head of the "White Angel" police unit, said.

Another injured man, who was evacuated with a shrapnel wound, is undergoing treatment, the police said.

Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported on June 27 that Russia has amassed "about 111,000 personnel" in the Pokrovsk sector, but Ukrainian forces are holding the line.

Syrskyi's statement came as Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed Moscow is "ready" for a third round of peace talks with Kyiv.

Russia's so-called "peace memorandum" demands that Ukraine recognize Russia's annexation of Crimea, as well as Kherson, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk oblasts — none of which are fully under Moscow's control.

As Russia inches closer to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, new Ukrainian region might soon be at war

Moscow said its troops had crossed into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and were conducting offensive operations in the region, a claim Kyiv quickly denied as “Russian disinformation.” Russian troops have been pushing toward Dnipropetrovsk Oblast for months, trying to solidify the southern flank to capture Pokrovsk and the remaining parts of the

The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

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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The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Russian strikes across Ukrainian regions killed at least four civilians and injured at least 15 over the past day, regional authorities reported on July 1.

Russia launched 47 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force reported. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 14 drones, while 33 were intercepted by electronic warfare or disappeared from radars, according to the statement.  

Russian attacks injured three civilians in Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported.

In Kharkiv Oblast, two women aged 60 and 81 were injured during a Russian attack on the Tsykruny village, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.

Russian attacks across Kherson Oblast killed two people and injured five, said the regional governor, Oleksandr Prokudin. Three high-rise buildings and eight houses were damaged.

In Mykolaiv Oblast, a 45-year-old man was killed and a 37-year-old woman was injured during Russian shelling of the Kutsurub community on June 30, Governor Vitalii Kim reported. Houses, two schools, and a shop were damaged, and a fire erupted because of the attack.

A 75-year-old man was killed and his 76-year-old wife was injured during another artillery attack against the community on the morning of July 1, Kim said.

Two civilians were injured in Russian attacks against Sumy Oblast, the regional military administration reported.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, a 56-year-old man was wounded when Russia attacked the Polohy district, according to Governor Ivan Fedorov.

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The Kyiv IndependentChris York

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

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

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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.

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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.

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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

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.

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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

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

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.

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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.

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“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

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.

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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.

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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: The article was updated after three bodies were found in Kramatorsk following a Russian attack.

Russian strikes across Ukrainian regions killed at least seven civilians and injured at least 23 over the past day, regional authorities reported on June 22.

Russia launched two Iskander-M or North Korean KN-23 ballistic missiles, an S-300 anti-aircraft missile, and 47 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy drones against Ukraine overnight, primarily targeting Chernihiv Oblast, Ukraine's Air Force said.

Ukrainian air defenses reportedly shot down 18 drones, while 10 disappeared from radars or were intercepted by electronic warfare. Seven hits by Russian aerial weapons were recorded overnight in Chernihiv, Sumy, and Odesa oblasts.

In Chernihiv Oblast, a civilian was killed in a Russian drone attack against the Nizhyn district, Governor Viacheslav Chaus reported.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Russian drone and artillery attacks against the Nikopol district injured seven people and damaged multiple houses and civilian infrastructure, Governor Serhii Lysak reported. A 63-year-old man has been hospitalized and is in moderate condition.

Russian attacks across Donetsk Oblast killed three people and injured 13, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin and the media. This included a civilian killed and three injured in Sloviansk, and another killed and two injured in Kostiantynivka.

Later on June 22, emergency workers found four bodies of people killed when a Russian missile hit a four-story residential building in Kramatorsk. Four people were injured, and one other resident may be trapped under the rubble, the State Emergency Service said.

In Kharkiv Oblast, a Russian attack killed a 77-year-old man in the village of Staryi Saltiv, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

Russian attacks against Kherson Oblast wounded three civilians, said the regional governor, Oleksandr Prokudin. Five multi-story apartment buildings and 11 houses were damaged.

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The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Russian attacks on Kherson Oblast injured seven people between June 20 and 21, local officials reported.

Russian forces launched drone attacks and artillery strikes on multiple settlements across Kherson Oblast, including the city of Kherson, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on Telegram.

Targets included Antonivka, Beryslav, Bilozerka, Vesele, Darivka, Zmiivka, Zorivka, Kizomys, Lvove, Mykolaivka, Novoberyslav, Novokairy, Olhivka, Poniativka, Sadove, Sofiivka, Tiahynka, Chervonyi Maiak, and Chervonyi Yar.

The strikes damaged civilian infrastructure, including two apartment buildings, 14 private homes, outbuildings, a garage, and several cars.

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.

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Editor’s Note: This story was updated with comments from Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Russian President Vladimir Putin said “all of Ukraine” belonged to Russia in a speech on June 20 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, amid increasingly aggressive official statements about Moscow’s final territorial ambitions in Ukraine. Putin’s

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova