Kyiv extends a helping hand to Poland. Ukraine has offered Warsaw the necessary assistance in countering Russian drones, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says.

The attack occurred just as Western leaders, including the US, continue working on security guarantees for Ukraine, aimed at protecting the country from Russian strikes, including drone attacks.

Ukraine without modern aviation — but with results

Ukraine does not possess modern fighter jets, yet during the same time frame, it managed to shoot down 380 out of 415 drones launched by Russia.

The question remains: how to force Russia to end the war against Ukraine and stop attacking NATO countries?

“No one can guarantee that there won’t be hundreds of drones if there are already dozens. Only joint European forces can provide real protection. We are ready to help with technology, crew training, and the necessary intelligence,” Zelenskyy stressed.

Dangerous “Zapad-2025” drills

According to Zelenskyy, joint Russian-Belarusian exercises “Zapad-2025” have begun on Belarusian territory, and the attack on Poland may be part of this training scenario.

The program of the drills reportedly includes a rehearsal of an attack on Poland and even the simulation of a nuclear strike.

Despite the attack on a NATO member state, US President Donald Trump did not announce any new sanctions against Moscow or present a clear plan to counter Russia.

“Unfortunately, as of now, Russia has not received a tough response from global leaders to what it is doing,” Zelenskyy said.

According to him, with this attack, Russia is testing the limits of what is possible and probing the West’s reaction.

“They are recording how NATO armed forces act, what they can do and what they cannot do yet,” the Ukrainian president added.

Russia’s attack on Poland, during which drones violated the country’s airspace for several hours, shocked not only Warsaw but also NATO neighbors. Slovak President Peter Pellegrini has openly admitted his country is now “defenseless” against such a threat, Polsat News reports.

Warning from Tokyo

Pellegrini made the statement during his visit to Japan. He stressed that Slovakia lags far behind in building a modern air defense system, leaving the country vulnerable, Teraz reports. 

“We are defenseless today. If a similar situation happened in Slovakia, people would only have to hope that drones don’t fall on residential houses,” he said. 

The president acknowledged that Slovakia lacks effective response capabilities. Even a technical malfunction or course deviation could cause drones or missiles to crash on Slovak territory.

“We cannot immediately react in case of a violation of our airspace, as it happened in Poland,” he added.

A warning finger for all allies

The head of state called the incident in Poland “an important warning and a raised finger” for all NATO countries. He argued that Slovakia must urgently build its air defense system and integrate it into Europe’s security architecture.

Slovak government reaction

Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár described the Russian drone intrusion into Poland as an escalation of the conflict. He confirmed solidarity with Warsaw and backed its decision to initiate NATO consultations under Article 4.

At the same time, Blanár called for diplomacy, expressing hope that peace talks launched by US President Donald Trump could bring an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“I want to believe that the drones that entered Poland were not meant to attack it, but were only supposed to land in Ukraine,” he said.

Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok reacted more cautiously, recalling that in the past, a similar case with a “Russian missile” in Poland turned out to be a Ukrainian mistake.

Massive attack on Ukraine

The Polish incident was part of Russia’s large-scale strike on the night of 10–11 September. Moscow launched 415 drones and more than 40 cruise and ballistic missiles at Ukraine. Most of the drones were downed by air defense, but one person was killed.

In Poland, the attack lasted for six hours. Prime Minister Donald Tusk reported that 19 drones were used, some launched from Belarus. Polish forces managed to shoot down only three to four drones, while the rest crashed on Polish soil.

NATO’s response

Polish government Spokesperson Adam Szłapka has confirmed that NATO had activated Article 4. Consultations among allies have already taken place.

While Article 4 does not mandate an automatic military response like Article 5, it allows member states to consider additional security measures, including troop deployments and reinforcement of air defense systems.

For Russia, this incident was a way to test NATO’s resolve. For Poland’s neighbors, it was a painful reminder that the war against Ukraine directly threatens their own security.

Past events 

Earlier, a poll revealed that 14% of Slovaks surveyed openly want to join Russia, and another 18% consider this possibility.

The idea is most supported by students and the unemployed, which, according to experts, rather reflects economic instability and disappointment with the country’s Western course than genuine loyalty to the Kremlin.

One person died and nine others were injured in a Russian combined strike on Ukraine during the night of 10 September, according to regional officials across multiple oblasts.

The attack involved 415 strike drones of Shahed, Gerbera and other types, and 43 missiles of ground, air and sea-based launch, according to Ukraine’s Air Force. Ukrainian air defenses managed to neutralize 413 targets – 386 Russian drones and 27 cruise/aviation missiles Kh-101/Kalibr/Kh-59(69). About 16 missiles and 21 drones hit their targets across 17 locations.

The fatality occurred in Zhytomyr Oblast, where a local resident died in hospital from burns of varying degrees, reports the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (DSNS). At least five people were injured in Zhytomyr Oblast – four in Zhytomyr city and one in Berdychiv, the DSNS added.

In Khmelnytskyi Oblast, the attack injured three people, destroyed a garment factory and damaged destroyed a gas station, transport, and broke windows. “All injured are receiving medical care,” Tyurin said.

Vinnytsia Oblast saw damage to civilian industrial infrastructure and residential buildings, with one person hospitalized in stable condition, reports first deputy head of the regional administration Natalia Zabolotna. About 30 residential buildings were damaged in the oblast. Windows were broken, roofs and adjacent territories were damaged, she said. Twenty-six drones and 11 cruise missiles reportedly operated in Vinnytsia’s airspace during the attack.

In Cherkasy Oblast, two Russian missiles and about ten drones were neutralized, with no casualties reported but infrastructure damage sustained, according to oblast governor Ihor Taburets. The blast wave partially destroyed a barn in Zolotonosha district, killing two cows and causing a fire, while also damaging windows and roofs in five houses and a car.

Volyn Oblast recorded “several dozen Russian drones” overhead, resulting in a fire at one production facility from debris of a downed target, governor Ivan Rudnytsky said. There are reportedly no dead or wounded.

Lviv came under attack from approximately 60 Russian Shaheds and over 10 missiles, but air defenses prevented casualties, according to Mayor Andriy Sadovyi. “Thanks to our air defense forces for preventing disaster. There are no casualties, no destruction of housing stock. There was debris hitting a civilian warehouse on Aviatsiina street. We are now assessing the damage,” Sadovyi stated.

DSNS psychologists provided assistance to 26 people, including three children, in the affected areas.

During the massive overnight attack on Ukraine, Poland’s Operational Command also confirmed that Russian drones violated the country’s airspace.

This marks the first serious attack on a NATO member country since Russia’s full-scale invasion began against Ukraine. Warsaw called this the incident an “act of aggression,” and the country closed four airports.

Poland’s Operational Command confirmed that Russian drones violated the country’s airspace during a massive missile-drone attack on Ukraine on the night of 10 September.

This marks the first serious attack on a NATO member country since Russia’s full-scale invasion began against Ukraine. Warsaw called this the incident an “act of aggression.”

“As a result of today’s attack by the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine, an unprecedented violation of Polish airspace by drone-type objects occurred. This is an act of aggression that poses a real threat to the security of our citizens,” the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command reported on X.

Polish military officials confirmed they intercepted and destroyed multiple drones that crossed into national territory. 

Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed “repeated violations” of Polish airspace and reported that military forces used weapons against the objects. “I am in constant contact with the president and defense minister. I received a direct report from the operational commander,” Tusk wrote on X.

Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced that Poland maintains “constant contact with NATO command” regarding the UAV attack. He confirmed that “aircraft used weapons against enemy objects” and activated Territorial Defense Forces for ground searches of downed drones.

The incident prompted Poland to close four airports: Warsaw Chopin Airport, Warsaw-Modlin, Rzeszów-Jasionka (closest to Ukraine), and Lublin, according to BBC reports. Aviation authorities issued NOTAM notices stating airports were closed “due to unscheduled military activity within the framework of ensuring state security.”

Polish officials described the violations as “unprecedented” and warned citizens in the most dangerous regions—Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lublin voivodships—to remain indoors while the military operation continued.

The Ukrainian publication Nikolayevsky Vanek reported that Ukraine tracked “more than 10 drones that headed to Poland and never returned” during the night attack.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed he received information about Russian drones over Polish territory, telling CNN reporters “Yes” when asked if he was briefed about the incident during a Tuesday evening dinner with President Donald Trump.

Republican Congressman Joe Wilson called the drone attack on Poland “an act of war” that cannot be ignored, while both Republican and Democratic lawmakers urged Trump to respond to what they characterized as an unprecedented violation of NATO member airspace.

Poland scheduled an emergency government meeting for 8:00 am local time (9:00 am Kyiv time) and issued warnings to Territorial Defense Forces members about immediate reporting requirements in several regions. In areas marked red on operational maps—covering Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, Lublin, and Subcarpathian voivodships—reporting time was reduced to six hours, while “yellow” regions required readiness within 12 hours.

A Russian airstrike hit the frontline village of Yarova in Donetsk Oblast, killing at least 24 people and injuring 19 others, local officials report. 

The attack struck civilians standing in line to receive pensions, with most victims reportedly of retirement age.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strike, calling it “brutal” and “directly targeting ordinary people.” He urged the international community, including the United States, Europe, and G20 members, to take decisive action against Russia.

Vadym Filashkin, Head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, described the attack as “pure terrorism.” He said rescue teams, medics, police, and local authorities were working to assist the injured and assess the full damage.

The attack was carried out with a 250kg KAB-250 guided bomb, according to Alexander Zhuravlev, head of the nearby Lyman city military administration.

Ukrposhta, the Ukrainian state-run postal service, was delivering pensions by van when the strike occurred. The CEO confirmed one employee was wounded but survived thanks to rapid assistance.

Ukrposhta said it is now working with authorities to relocate pension and parcel distribution in frontline areas to safer locations to protect people from targeted Russian attacks.

“Since the beginning of the war, we have continuously adjusted our security procedures, and […] the vehicle was parked under trees to reduce the risk of being noticed. But apparently, someone gave away the coordinates,” the CEO said.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also called on the world to condemn the attack, stressing that Russia deliberately targets ordinary civilians.

Andrii Sybiha, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, called for international measures, including sanctions and increased support for Ukraine’s defense, to prevent further attacks.

“Russian propaganda claims to be ‘saving’ people in the Donetsk region, but in reality, it is dropping massive air bombs on people who came to receive pensions,” Sybiha said on X.

Russian forces launched drone attacks on Zaporizhzhia during the night of 9 September, resulting in a fire and one civilian casualty, according to Zaporizhzhia Oblast Governor Ivan Fedorov.

“Russian troops carried out at least two strikes on Zaporizhzhia,” Fedorov said.

The attacks ignited a private house in the city and left a 66-year-old woman injured.

This marks the latest in a series of drone assaults on the southeastern Ukrainian city. On 4 September, Russian forces struck Zaporizhzhia with an unmanned aerial vehicle, injuring four people, reports the regional administration.

The attacks are part of an intensified drone campaign across Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on 6 September that “Russians have used more than 1,300 strike drones against Ukraine since the beginning of the month.”

The night of 6-7 September saw one of the war’s largest drone barrages, with occupying forces directing 805 drones, 13 cruise missiles and ballistic missiles at Ukrainian oblasts, according to official reports. During that attack, the Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv was hit for the first time since the war began.

The repeated strikes on Zaporizhzhia demonstrate the ongoing targeting of civilian infrastructure in the region, which lies partially under Russian occupation while remaining a strategic front-line area.

On the night of 9 September, the Russian army attacked with 84 Shahed, Gerbera and other types of attack UAVs. Ukraine’s air defense shot down 60 Russian targets.

Russian forces launched 157 drones and 7 missiles of various types against Ukraine during the night of 5 September, according to the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. All seven missiles reached their targets.

The missile arsenal included six S-300 surface-to-air guided missiles and one X-59 guided aviation missile, the Air Forces reported. Ukrainian aviation, anti-aircraft missile forces, electronic warfare units, unmanned systems, and mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces repelled the air attack.

By 9:00 AM, Ukrainian military forces had shot down or suppressed 121 Russian Shahed-type UAVs and various decoy drones in the northern and eastern oblasts of the country. However, 7 missiles and 35 strike drones hit 10 locations. One enemy drone remained airborne at the time of the report.

The Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration reported that their region bore the brunt of the massive Russian drone attack. In Dnipro, Russian forces hit an enterprise, causing fires that emergency services have since extinguished. No casualties were reported.

“Defenders of the sky eliminated 15 of them,” the Air Defense Command said regarding the drones targeting Dnipropetrovsk Oblast overnight.

The attack pattern varied across the oblast. In Dnipro, “the aggressor hit an enterprise. Fires broke out there, and rescuers quickly began extinguishing them,” according to regional authorities. Meanwhile, “the enemy struck the Pokrovsk community in Nikopol district with an FPV drone.”

The strikes caused significant property damage beyond the targeted enterprise. Private houses near the drone impact sites in Dnipro were damaged, with windows shattered in apartment buildings. Specialists are now inspecting the homes and documenting the damage while accepting residents’ claims to calculate losses accurately.

Local charities are distributing building materials at the sites, providing OSB boards and film for residents to temporarily cover damaged roofs, doors, and windows. The state assists in rebuilding through the “eRecovery” program, with applications available through the Diia platform.

All relevant emergency services are working at the affected locations alongside local volunteers providing immediate assistance to residents.

Ukrainian forces attacked an oil refinery in the Russian city of Ryazan and an oil depot in occupied Luhansk during the night of 5 September, Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, said.

The Ryazan Oil Refinery, one of Russia’s four largest refineries, was struck by Ukraine’s 14th Unmanned Systems Regiment together with Special Operations Forces, Main Intelligence Directorate, and other Defense Forces components. The same regiment targeted the Luhansk oil depot.

Russian Telegram channel Astra earlier cited eyewitnesses reporting that the Ryazan refinery was burning following drone strikes. Ryazan region governor Pavel Malkov claimed that eight drones were shot down over the region overnight, with debris falling on an industrial facility.

Russian media and Telegram channels reported a large fire in occupied Luhansk on the evening of 4 September. The strike reportedly hit a key oil depot that supplies fuel to Russian forces.

Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries have occurred regularly since the beginning of 2024. Some facilities have sustained damage to primary oil processing units requiring repairs.

Ukraine’s General Staff has confirmed most attacks, stating that the Defense Forces “systematically implement measures aimed at reducing the combat potential of Russian occupation forces, as well as forcing the Russian Federation to cease armed aggression against Ukraine.”

A drone attack on Russian regions damaged a railway station in the Rostov Oblast, located close to the border with Ukraine, and caused significant disruptions to rail traffic, with 26 passenger trains experiencing delays.

The overnight strike hit the Kuteynikovo railway station in the Chertkovsky district, according to acting governor of the Rostov region Yuriy Slyusar. The attack damaged the station’s contact network and left an unexploded ordnance on the building’s roof, prompting the evacuation of all passengers and staff.

“No people were injured. The building is now cordoned off. Sappers have been called,” Slyusar stated, however, this information is not independently verified.

He added that station personnel are assisting affected passengers while trains continue operating with delays.

Russian Railways confirmed that all delayed trains are proceeding along their scheduled routes despite the disruptions. The company reported the maximum delay reached 4 hours and 15 minutes as of 6:00 a.m. Moscow time.

The incident occurred as Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed to have intercepted 105 Ukrainian drones overnight, with 25 allegedly shot down over the Rostov Oblast specifically. Ukrainian officials have not issued any statements regarding these reported operations.

Meanwhile, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with a massive coordinated assault on the night of 3 September, launching 526 missiles and drones across multiple regions. Ukrainian air defense systems successfully intercepted 451 of the incoming targets.

The attack caused widespread damage across the country. Four railway workers were injured in central Kirovohrad Oblast when strikes targeted rail infrastructure, while western regions including Lutsk, Khmelnytskyi, and Ivano-Frankivsk experienced fires and structural damage from drone attacks.

A forest fire that burned for four days near Russian President Vladimir Putin’s reported Black Sea residence has been extinguished, according to Krasnodar Oblast Governor Veniamin Kondratyev. The blaze, which spread to 41.5 hectares, started after drone debris fell in the area during Ukrainian strikes on 28 August.

The fire occurred near the village of Krynitsa, located approximately 10 kilometers from Putin’s palace on Cape Idokopas, Medusa and Astra reported, citing local authorities. One fire center burned less than one kilometer from Putin’s Krynitsa winery, according to The Insider.

“Through the fall of debris, one of the oil refinery installations caught fire, and forest fires also occurred in the area of Krynitsa village,” the Krasnodar Oblast operational headquarters said.

The Ukrainian General Staff confirmed that Ukrainian forces attacked Russian oil refineries overnight on 28 August, including the Afipsky refinery in Krasnodar Oblast. The forest fire began on the morning of 28 August, expanding from its initial size to 41.5 hectares by 29 August.

NASA FIRMS mapping data shows the blaze located just 850 meters from the winery facility, The Insider reported. The winery gained attention in a 2021 Anti-Corruption Foundation investigation, where it appeared under the name Old Provence. The FBK documentary detailed luxury purchases for the facility, including “gilded Italian toilet brushes.”

Governor Kondratyev announced on August 31 that the forest fires in Gelendzhik had been extinguished. More than 500 people, more than 100 units of equipment, including BE-200 aircraft, IL-76 and 2 Mi-8 helicopters were involved in extinguishing, he said.

Russian media outlet Important Stories reported that the fire center may have been 3-4 kilometers from the presidential residence. The palace complex became widely known in January 2021 following the FBK investigation, though journalists noted that Putin has largely stopped flying to Sochi, where he previously spent much of spring and autumn.

The drone attack was part of broader Ukrainian strikes on 28 August, with Russian authorities reporting drone attacks across multiple oblasts and local residents documenting fires at two oil refineries and a railway junction

Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate conducted a nighttime attack on an underground explosives warehouse at the Aleksinsky Chemical Plant in Russia’s Tula Oblast on 30 August, according to various reports of Ukrainian news agencies.

The targeted facility stored pyroxylin powder, a smokeless powder used in small arms ammunition, artillery systems, and certain rocket engines, according to Hromadske.

Residents of Aleksin in Tula Oblast, located over 1000 km (621 miles) from Ukraine, reported hearing loud explosions before emergency services dispatched fire trucks and ambulances to the scene.

The regional governor confirmed “drone debris falling on the territory of an industrial enterprise” but stated there were no casualties or damage at the site.

However, the emergency response and reported explosions suggest the operation achieved its intended impact on the military supply facility.

The Aleksinsky Chemical Plant represents a repeat target for Ukrainian forces, having previously sustained attacks in January 2025. This pattern reflects Ukraine’s sustained campaign against Russian military supply infrastructure.

Oil refineries targeted on the same night

The 30 August chemical plant strike occurred alongside Ukrainian attacks on two Russian oil refineries the same night. Ukrainian defense forces targeted the Krasnodar refinery in Krasnodar Krai and the Sizran refinery in Samara Oblast using unmanned aerial vehicles, according to the General Staff of Ukraine.

The Krasnodar refinery, which produces 3 million tons of light petroleum products annually and “participates in supplying the Russian Armed Forces,” sustained damage to one technological installation and a fire covering approximately 300 square meters.

The Sizran refinery processes 8.5 million tons annually and produces gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation kerosene, fuel oil, and bitumen.

Ukraine has initiated an emergency session of the UN Security Council following Russia’s massive attack on Kyiv and other cities, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha.

The meeting is scheduled for 29 August at 10:00 pm Kyiv time. Ukraine requested the session with support from its partners as a response to the wave of Russian missile and drone strikes that resulted in dozens of civilian casualties, including children.

“The meeting is a response to another massive wave of Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and other cities of Ukraine. These strikes resulted in dozens of casualties among the civilian population, including children,” Sybiha said.

The Foreign Minister called on Security Council members to use the session to express support for Ukraine against Russian terror and increase pressure on the Russian aggressor.

“Only pressure, including new harsh sanctions, can force Moscow to stop imitating diplomacy and join real efforts aimed at ending the war,” according to Sybiha.

The emergency session follows a massive combined strike by Russian occupiers on the capital during the night of 28 August, which killed 23 people, including 4 children, reports the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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.

Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg blasted Russia’s assault on Kyiv, as the death toll climbed to 19 in one of the war’s deadliest strikes.

“These outrageous attacks threaten the peace that President Trump seeks,” Kellogg wrote on X after Moscow unleashed nearly 600 drones and 31 missiles overnight.

Peace talks on the brink

The strike comes as diplomacy falters. Earlier this month, Trump’s Alaska summit with Putin ended without agreement, and a planned Zelenskyy–Putin meeting remains stalled. Kellogg warned that the Kremlin’s escalation proves Russia is still choosing the battlefield over the negotiating table.

A city under fire

In Darnytskyi district, a five-story apartment building was directly struck by multiple Russian missiles, collapsing from the ground floor up. At least 19 people—including four children—were killed, and fears remain that more are trapped beneath the rubble.

Russia launched a massive aerial strike on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities far from the front lines on the morning of 28 August, 2025.

At least 18 people have been killed in Kyiv, with another 38 injured as of this report.

Four children are among the dead, including three aged… pic.twitter.com/mKGrZRgGNE

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 28, 2025

Symbols in the crosshairs

The barrage also damaged symbols of diplomacy and industry, including the EU mission, the British Council, and the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty offices.

According to Ihor Zinkevych, a deputy of the Lviv City Council, one of Russia’s targets was a Bayraktar drone plant near Kyiv, designed to produce Turkish TB2 and Akıncı drones. Zinkevych said two missiles struck the facility, causing millions of dollars in damage. Turkish media confirmed the strike, noting it was already the fourth attack on the plant in six months.

Mourning and fallout

Kyiv declared 29 August a day of mourning, lowering flags and canceling events. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demanded tougher sanctions, saying:

“All deadlines are broken, dozens of diplomatic opportunities wasted. Russia must feel its responsibility for every strike, every day of this war.”

Western leaders echoed outrage: the UK summoned the Russian ambassador, while EU officials vowed new penalties.

Right now in Kyiv, first responders are clearing the rubble of an ordinary residential building after a Russian strike. Another massive attack against our cities and communities. Killings again. Tragically, at least 8 people have already been confirmed dead. One of them is a… pic.twitter.com/aukkujC9ji

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 28, 2025

Key takeaways

• 19 killed, including four children, in one of the war’s deadliest strikes.
• Alaska peace summit failed; Zelenskyy–Putin talks remain stalled.
• EU and British offices hit, Bayraktar drone plant damaged again.

An explosion occurred on 26 August at the main Ryazan-Moscow oil pipeline in Russia’s Ryazan Oblast, halting fuel supplies to the Russian capital for an indefinite period, Hromadske reported, citing an informed source.

The blast happened near the village of Bozhatkovo, according to the outlet’s source. “After a strong explosion on the oil pipeline, a major fire broke out,” the source told Hromadske. Emergency responders arrived at the explosion site several hours later to address the consequences.

The incident has temporarily suspended oil product transportation to Moscow for an unspecified duration. Transneft company representatives are calculating the damage, the source reported.

The pipeline has served a specific military purpose since 2018, when it was repurposed by Transneft to supply automotive gasoline for the Russian army, according to Hromadske’s source.

The Ryazan-Moscow pipeline represents one of the primary sources of petroleum product supplies to Russia’s capital. The explosion’s timing and location have disrupted this critical supply route at a time when fuel logistics remain essential for Moscow’s operations.

Russian forces killed an 81-year-old woman and wounded three other civilians during morning attacks on Kherson on 27 August, according to the Kherson Regional Military Administration and Regional Prosecutor’s Office.

Artillery strikes hit the Dniprovskyi district at approximately 5:00 am, the Kherson Regional Military Administration reports. “Russian military forces shelled the Dniprovskyi district of Kherson with artillery. A woman born in 1972 who was at home came under enemy fire,” authorities stated.

The woman sustained blast injuries and multiple burns across her body and was hospitalized. The prosecutor’s office later confirmed that the artillery attack killed an 81-year-old woman.

Around 6:30 am, Russian forces launched a drone attack on central Kherson, injuring a 67-year-old resident. The man suffered concussion, shrapnel wounds to his temple, blast trauma, and closed traumatic brain injury. Medical personnel transported him to hospital in moderate-to-severe condition.

A third victim, a 56-year-old man, later sought medical treatment following the drone strike in central Kherson. Doctors diagnosed him with blast trauma, concussion, and facial shrapnel wounds, according to the regional prosecutor’s office.

Ukrainian military units have established control over the settlement of Zelenyi Hai [eng: Green grove] in Donetsk Oblast, with the victory announced on Ukraine’s National Flag Day, marking both a tactical achievement and symbolic moment amid broader Russian pressure across the eastern front.

The operational-strategic group of forces “Dnipro” confirmed that fighters from the 37th separate marine infantry brigade, working alongside the 214th separate assault battalion OPFOR, successfully halted the advance of Russian forces in the area.

However, the operational-strategic group “Dnipro” warned that Russian forces are mounting efforts to retake Zelenyi Hai while simultaneously attempting to occupy additional settlements throughout this sector of Donetsk Oblast.

At the beginning of August, Russian forces entered Zelenyi Hai, photographing themselves alongside Russian flags within the settlement, according to the analytical project DeepState.

However, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense subsequently reported that Ukrainian special forces eliminated the Russian group that had penetrated the settlement. Despite this operation, DeepState mapping data from 22 August indicated Russian forces maintained control over approximately half of Zelenyi Hai.

Defense forces also recently secured control over most of the nearby village of Tovste, where Ukrainian soldiers raised the national flag.

Russian advances in Donetsk Oblast

The Zelenyi Hai operation occurs against a backdrop of intensifying Russian attacks across Donetsk region.

Recent Russian advances north of Pokrovsk saw enemy forces break through up to 17 kilometers, seizing positions that threaten Ukrainian supply lines.

A separate Russian push near Dobropillia reached the Dobropillia–Kramatorsk highway, a critical route for military logistics.

These tactical gains have prompted regional authorities to expand mandatory evacuation zones. Vadym Filashkin, head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, announced on 14 August that five settlements must evacuate approximately 1,879 children due to relentless Russian bombardment of around 3,000 strikes daily.

The Institute for the Study of War identified a “fortress belt,” the primary fortified defensive line established following 2014 military operations, as one of the strategically important Ukrainian positions in Donetsk Oblast that Russian forces continue to approach and attempt to envelop it.

It stretches 50 kilometers from Sloviansk and Kramatorsk in the north to Druzhkivka and Kostyantynivka in the south.

According to the ISW, Ukraine has invested 11 years in strengthening these positions, building “significant defense industrial and defensive infrastructure in and around these cities.”

The institute warned that territorial concessions, pushed by Russia in recent peace negotiations with the US, would “position Russian forces extremely well to renew their attacks on much more favorable terms,” allowing them to bypass costly urban warfare while gaining operational advantages.

A fire still burns at the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery—Rostov Oblast’s only refinery—after it was struck by Ukrainian drones three days ago. The facility ranks among southern Russia’s largest, with a processing capacity of approximately 100,000 barrels per day (about 5 million tonnes annually).

The drone attack at Novoshakhtinsk is one in a recent series targeting Russia’s energy infrastructure. In the past weeks, several major refineries—including Syzran, Volgograd, Novokuibyshevsk, Ryazan, and Saratov—have sustained fires, temporary shutdowns, or capacity reductions following drone and missile strikes.

Fire still rages at the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov Oblast — hit by Ukrainian drones 3 days ago.

One of southern Russia’s biggest (5M t/yr). Locals face water cuts, toxic air & 4 months unpaid wages — yet workers are still forced in.

Video: exilenova+ pic.twitter.com/0O0oKip5jB

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 23, 2025

Escalating air war and energy disruption

These assaults are part of intensified air campaigns from both sides. Ukraine has increasingly struck petroleum infrastructure—refineries, depots, pipelines—while Russia retaliates with drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, civilian areas, and energy facilities.

As military expert Yigal Levin notes: “Targeting fuel infrastructure is strategic warfare—and it’s taking a heavy toll.”

Civilian hardship: water, air, and wages

Residents in Novoshakhtinsk and surrounding areas are grappling with deteriorating conditions. Water pressure has dropped sharply; some areas, like Krasny Sulin, now lack running water altogether. Air quality has become dangerously poor.

Meanwhile, workers at the refinery are still being required to come to work—despite four months of unpaid wages. Levin succinctly notes: “People are showing up—but their pay never arrives.”

How the strike happened

On the morning of 21 August, Ukrainian long-range “kamikaze” drones pierced local air defenses, despite the refinery being guarded by two Pantsir and one Tor anti-air systems. Residents reported around five explosions, which ignited the blaze.

Why this matters

• Military and economic impact: The refinery is vital for both regional fuel supply and military logistics.
• Humanitarian concerns: Communities face basic service breakdowns amid the emergency.
• Strategic priority: The targeting of energy assets underscores the growing importance of infrastructure in warfare tactics.

The strike on Flex Ltd.’s Mukachevo facility came just hours after Moscow rejected President Trump’s latest peace overtures, sending a clear message about Russia’s willingness to target American business interests during diplomatic negotiations.

Russia targets American business

Just hours before the missiles hit, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had dismissed European peacekeeping proposals as “foreign intervention.”

Moscow’s choice to strike a big US-owned facility during active peace discussions sends an unmistakable message: Russia believes it can attack American assets without derailing Trump’s negotiation efforts.

Company safety protocols brought employees to safety when air raid sirens sounded, preventing what could have been a catastrophic loss of life. Twelve people were injured, though, with two in serious condition.

The strike hit a facility producing electronics components for global brands including Nike, Google, Microsoft, and Lenovo, disrupting supply chains that extend far beyond Ukraine’s borders.

“This was not only an attack on Ukraine. It was an attack on American business,” said Andy Hunder, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, who traveled to the strike site Thursday morning.

Calculated message to Washington

With this attack, itself part of a massive nighttime air raid against Ukrainian cities, Moscow appears to be testing Trump’s resolve while negotiations were still forming.

“Russia is not seeking peace; it is attacking American interests and values,” Hunder wrote on Facebook, calling on Trump to “stand with American business in Ukraine.”

Ukrainian business leaders were even more direct. “I hope Trump, when he wakes up, will already be aware of this morning’s greeting from his Alaskan buddy,” wrote Oleksandr Sokolovskyi, head of the Ukrainian Association of Light Industry Enterprises, referencing the American President’s meeting with Putin in Alaska less than a week before the devastating strike.

“Russia is destroying and humiliating US businesses in Ukraine, targeting companies that invest and trade on the US stock markets,” Hunder noted, framing the strike as broader economic warfare against American interests.

Putin tests Trump’s resolve

The strike puts Trump’s negotiation approach under pressure. The president has suggested he could end the war through direct talks with Putin. Moscow’s willingness to hit US-owned assets during peace discussions reveals Russia’s actual negotiating position.

This attack represents a challenge to American credibility: will Washington tolerate attacks on US business while pursuing diplomatic solutions?

The attack also demonstrates why stronger air defense systems matter, as better missile shields don’t just save Ukrainian lives—they also protect American investments and send a message that targeting Western assets carries real costs.

Key facts about the attack:

• Russia targeted the world’s third-largest contract electronics manufacturer’s Ukrainian plant
• The facility employs over 2,600 people and serves major US brands
• Flex produces components for Nike, Google, Microsoft, and Lenovo
• Attack occurred during active Trump-led peace negotiations
• Russia used Kalibr missiles launched from strategic bombers
• 12 people were injured, two seriously, but adherence to safety protocols prevented deaths

Flames consumed 15,000 books at Sumy State University overnight after the Russian missile and drone attack on the city.

The 18 August overnight attack targeted multiple university buildings, with the library in the “N” building suffering significant fire damage, according to Suspilne. 

The destroyed books represented the library’s most recent acquisitions, purchased within the last five to six years.

The latest losses add to devastation from previous strikes. In April, shelling of the university’s congress center resulted in the destruction of 45,000 books, library officials reported. 

Now, the total number of volumes lost to Russian strikes at this university is 60,000.

Scientific equipment damaged

University staff also worked to evacuate valuable scientific equipment from the fire-damaged building, which was flooded during firefighting efforts.

Vice-Rector Anatolia Chornous explained what they were trying to save: scanning electron microscopes, microanalyzers, and other equipment purchased through research grants since 2018.

“We had several grants, and with those funds we bought quite expensive equipment,” Chornous said.

The Center for Collective Use of Scientific Equipment represented years of building research capacity for analytical and materials science work, eliminated in a few moments.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has caused heavy damage to nearly 1,000 libraries and destroyed over 200 million Ukrainian books, according to the date from Ukrainian officials.

In May 2024, a Russian missile hit a printing house in Kharkiv, killing seven workers and burning 50,000 mostly children’s books, making the need for new books even more urgent.

In the Russian-occupied territories, the authorities remove Ukrainian books from local libraries, calling them “extremist” and replacing them with Russian books. 

Explore further

Kharkiv printing house, destroyed by Russian shelling, resumes work

Ukrainian Security Service drones obliterated two Russian ammunition depots in occupied Bilokurakyne on 19 August, triggering massive fires visible from space and severing a critical supply artery feeding Moscow’s Pokrovsk offensive.

The nighttime strike landed seven direct hits on the rail and road hub, 60 kilometers behind Russian lines in Luhansk Oblast. NASA satellite data confirmed multiple thermal anomalies, marking another successful penetration of Russia’s supposedly secure rear areas.

The targeted settlement is a crucial logistics node where railways and roads converge to supply Russian forces grinding toward Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast.

This attack represents Ukraine’s evolved battlefield strategy — rather than matching Russia shell for shell, Kyiv systematically dismantles the infrastructure sustaining Russian operations. Each depot eliminated means fewer artillery rounds reaching Ukrainian positions.

“The SBU continues to launch systematic strikes against the enemy’s rear in order to reduce the offensive capabilities of the Russian army on the front line,” the agency stated.

The Bilokurakyne strike coincided with a third fire recently at Lukoil’s Volgograd refinery, illustrating how Ukraine’s campaign now spans from ammunition depots to energy infrastructure. This coordination suggests sophisticated operational planning designed to strain Russia’s war economy simultaneously on multiple fronts.

These operations demonstrate how precision technology allows smaller militaries to offset numerical disadvantages.

Ukraine’s success in penetrating Russian-controlled territory with relatively inexpensive drones offers lessons for defense planners worldwide facing similar asymmetric challenges.

The burning depots in Bilokurakyne represent more than tactical success – they show how sustained pressure on supply networks can degrade even a larger military’s operational capacity.

Ukrainian forces carried out a unique operation nearly 950 km from Ukraine. On the night of 18 August, the “Nikolskoe” oil pumping station in Russia’s Tambov Oblast was struck. The facility ensured the stable flow of oil along a strategic Druzha pipeline.

What happened at the station?

“As a result of the strike, a fire broke out at the facility, and oil pumping along the Druzhba main pipeline was completely halted,” the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.

Such stations maintain pipeline pressure, and without them, fuel transportation becomes impossible.

Why the Druzhba pipeline matters?

The Druzhba pipeline runs from Russia to Belarus and then branches out: northward to Poland and Germany, southward through Ukraine to Slovakia and Hungary.

After the war began, the EU halted supplies along the northern branch, but exceptions were made for Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. These countries continue to receive oil from Russia.

Strike on the Kremlin’s economy

“The ‘Nikolskoe’ oil pumping station is part of Russia’s economic infrastructure and is involved in supplying occupation forces,” the Armed Forces add.

Ukraine consistently targets Russia’s military-economic potential to weaken its ability to continue the war.

Russia has deliberately killed a family in one of the Ukrainian regions ahead of a key event for Ukraine in Washington aimed to end the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called the attack “absolutely demonstrative and cynical,” stressing that it was conducted right before his meeting with US President Donald Trump. 

A few days earlier, the American president hosted Russian ruler Vladimir Putin, greeted with full honors as the US Army rolled out a red carpet in Alaska. During the event, Putin called Ukraine a “brotherly nation,” despite Moscow’s murder of Ukrainian civilians in Russian air assaults. 

After that meeting, Trump dropped his demand for an immediate ceasefire and argued that a quick peace deal could be reached if Zelenskyy agreed to hand over Donbas to Russia, including areas not currently occupied by Russian troops.

Mass civilian casualties

In Kharkiv, seven people were killed, including an 18-month-old child. Nearly 34 others were injured, six of them children. The city declared a day of mourning. Five drones deliberately approached the building from different directions, striking as residents slept inside, Ukrainian authorities say. 

Strikes on Zaporizhzhia and Odesa

Russia also launched missile strikes on Zaporizhzhia and Odesa. In Zaporizhzhia, three people were killed and another 20 injured. In Odesa, a drone hit an energy facility owned by an Azerbaijani company, threatening Ukraine’s energy security as well as its relations with international partners.

Zelenskyy on Kremlin’s cynical pressure

“Everyone wants a just peace and true security. And at this very moment, the Russians strike Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Odesa, residential buildings, our civilian infrastructure. This is the deliberate killing of people by the Russians, the killing of children,” the Ukrainian president emphasizes.

According to him, the attacks are a direct tool of Kremlin pressure on Ukraine and the EU ahead of diplomatic negotiations.

Russian forces launched a drone attack on oil terminals belonging to Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR in Odesa Oblast overnight on 18 August, triggering a major fire at the fuel infrastructure facility, according to regional officials.

Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper said that despite active air defense operations, the attack resulted in significant damage in the Odesa district.

A fire broke out at a fuel and energy infrastructure facility and a two-story building in the suburbs of Odesa, according to Kiper.

Former Deputy Prosecutor General Gunduz Mamedov identified the target as SOCAR’s oil terminals in a social media post. Sources within Ukraine’s State Emergency Service told Ukrainska Pravda that 10 drones were used in the attack on the Azerbaijani facility.

The emergency response involved over 100 personnel, including rescuers, volunteers, National Guard firefighters, and local fire brigade teams. Ukrainian Railways deployed a fire train to assist with extinguishing the blaze.

Preliminary reports indicate no casualties or injuries resulted from the attack.

This marks the second strike on SOCAR facilities in Odesa Oblast within 10 days. On 8 August, Russian forces hit the same oil depot with five Shahed-type drones, causing fires and damaging a diesel fuel pipeline.

The overnight assault was part of a broader Russian attack involving four missiles and 140 drones targeting multiple Ukrainian oblasts. Ukraine’s Air Force reported that air defense systems shot down or suppressed 88 Russian drones across northern, southern, eastern, and central areas of the country by 9:00 am.

The attacks resulted in confirmed strikes at 25 locations across Donetsk, Kharkiv, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, and Kyiv oblasts.

The Russian military regularly attacks Ukrainian oblasts with various types of weapons, killing civilians and destroying hospitals, schools, kindergartens, energy and water supply facilities. The Ukrainian authorities and international organisations qualify these strikes as war crimes by Russia and emphasise that they are of a targeted nature.

Overnight on 18 August, Russian forces also attacked residential building in Kharkiv, killing five people, including two children.

Rescue workers have recovered another body from the rubble of a residential building damaged by Russian strikes in Kharkiv, bringing the death toll to five people, including two children.

According to Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov, there are already four dead, including one child.

Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov later confirmed the fifth casualty, including a 1.5-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy.

The number of injured has reached 20 people as of 9:30 am, with six children among the casualties, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. Rescue teams have saved two people from the debris, and search operations continue.

About five people are currently considered missing, according to Syniehubov.

Russian forces targeted Kharkiv with Geran-2 type drones, with four unmanned aerial vehicles hitting a five-story residential building. The strike caused structural damage and fires broke out in the building.

Mayor Terekhov said that 18 August has been declared a day of mourning in Kharkiv for the victims of the attack.

The Russian military regularly attacks Ukrainian oblasts with various types of weapons, killing civilians and destroying hospitals, schools, kindergartens, energy and water supply facilities. The Ukrainian authorities and international organisations qualify these strikes as war crimes by Russia and emphasise that they are of a targeted nature.

Regional casualties mount across Kharkiv Oblast

The deadly strike on Kharkiv was part of broader attacks across the region that left 34 people injured over the past 24 hours. Russian forces struck the city of Kharkiv and 10 settlements throughout Kharkiv Oblast, according to regional authorities.

In Kupiansk, a 43-year-old man was injured in the attacks. The village of Lisne in the Malodanyliv community saw three casualties: two men aged 49 and 51, and a 48-year-old woman.

Russian forces deployed an extensive arsenal against the region, launching one Iskander-M missile and 33 unmanned aerial vehicles of various types. The attack package included 20 Geran-2 drones, two Lancet drones, two Molnia drones, one FPV drone, and five drones of undetermined type. Russian forces also used two guided aerial bombs in the assault.

Infrastructure damage spreads across multiple districts

The strikes damaged civilian infrastructure across four districts. In Kharkiv city, 19 apartment buildings and 25 vehicles sustained damage from the attacks.

Kupiansk district bore significant damage, with apartment and private buildings hit in Kupiansk city and Pidserednie village. The village of Shevchenkove saw damage to an enterprise and six vehicles, while storage facilities were damaged in Hnylytsya village.

Chuhuiv district reported damage to a warehouse and vehicle in Kochetok village, while a private house was damaged in Horokhovatka village in Izium district.

Ground combat intensifies on two fronts

Ukrainian forces recorded 182 combat clashes across the front over the past 24 hours. On the South Slobozhansk direction, Russian forces launched 13 assault attempts against Ukrainian positions near Vovchansk and toward the settlements of Khatnie and Odradne.

The Kupiansk direction saw 12 Russian attacks throughout the day. Ukrainian defense forces repelled Russian assault actions near Zapadne, Kindrashivka, Petropavlivka, and Stepova Novoselivka, as well as attacks directed toward Kupiansk and Nova Kruhliakivka.

Overnight on 17 August, a Ukrainian drone struck the Liski railway station in Voronezh Oblast, disrupting one of Russia’s most important military transport hubs. Exilenova+ published a video capturing the moment of impact. The drone hit set off a fire at the station and damaged power lines, cutting rail traffic. 

Video confirms Liski strike

Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ reported a drone attack, targeting the Liski railway station in Russia’s Voronezh Oblast. The post described Liski as one of the largest junctions in Russia’s Southeastern Railway system. Liski is located around 120–150 kilometers from Ukraine’s border and serves as a key junction for moving Russian troops and equipment, Militarnyi noted.

Exilenova+ also released video footage showing a fire at the station and the moment of a drone’s impact. Russian news Telegram channel Astra later drew attention to one of the videos, noting it was filmed next to the Berezka shopping center, which sits right beside the station.

The Voronezh Oblast governor admitted a drone hit a railway station, but avoided naming it. He claimed falling drone debris injured a railway technician and damaged a power line. He also said the technician was hospitalized and that the railway service resumed afterward.

Russia’s Federal Passenger Company later confirmed the station as Liski. In its statement, it said the drone’s debris caused delays across 14 trains. 

The governor stated that in the same area, fires ostensibly broke out at a shop and a clothing market. In another municipality, a gas pipe also allegedly caught fire. 

Russian MoD claims mass interceptions but ignores Liski

The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed it shot down 46 Ukrainian drones overnight: 16 over Belgorod, 14 over Nizhny Novgorod, 9 over Voronezh, and others across six more oblasts. Later the same morning, the ministry stated that six more drones were downed over Voronezh Oblast.

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

Russia launched another mass missile and drone attack overnight on July 9, targeting Ukrainian cities, including in the country's far-west regions located hundreds of kilometers from the front line.

Late spring and early summer in Ukraine have been marked by disturbingly frequent mass attacks on civilian targets, with Russia regularly terrorizing cities with ballistic and cruise missiles alongside record-breaking numbers of kamikaze drones.

Ukraine's Air Force warned late on July 8 that Russia had launched MiG-31 aircraft from the Savasleyka airfield in Nizhny Novgorod, putting the entire country under an hours-long active missile threat. Swarms of drones were also heading towards multiple cities in Ukraine, the military said.

Explosions rocked Kyiv at around midnight on July 9, according to Kyiv Independent journalists on the ground. Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced that Russian drones were attacking the city center and that air defenses were shooting down targets.  

Ukraine's Air Force reported that dozens of Russian attack drones and ballistic missiles were targeting Ukraine's far-west regions, with alerts of overhead drones approaching the western cities of Lutsk, Lviv, Khmelnytskyi, and Ternopil.

Explosions were heard in the city of Lutsk in western Volyn Oblast just before 4 a.m. local time, Suspilne reported, amid warning of drones and missiles overhead. The city served as one of the hardest-hit throughout the attack.

Lutsk Mayor Ihor Polishchuk said that a fire damaged an "industrial site" as well as a garage, in what he called the "most massive enemy attack" on the city since the start of full-scale war.

The Polish Air Force said it scrambled fighter amid the attack to protect Poland's airspace. The air raid alerts were lifted in western Ukraine around 6:15 a.m. local time, after nearly seven hours of warnings from the Air Force.

At least one person was injured amid the attack, with a woman sustaining a chest fracture in city of Brovary in Kyiv Oblast, the regional military administration reported.

Explosions were also reported in communities closer to the front line, including Dnipro, Sumy, as well as over Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Russian ballistics and kamikaze drones have targeted Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with renewed ferocity, killing dozens of civilians and injuring hundreds more.

The renewed attacks on Ukraine comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to send 10 Patriot interceptors to Ukraine, amid escalating tension between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"It's a horrible thing, and I'm not happy with President Putin at all," Trump said. "I'm disappointed frankly that President Putin hasn't stopped (the attacks)," Trump said on July 8. The comments come after the Pentagon halted air defense weapon shipments to Ukraine.

Ukraine war latest: Trump reportedly pledges to send 10 Patriot missiles to Ukraine, asks Germany to send battery

* Trump reportedly pledges to send 10 Patriot missiles to Ukraine, asks Germany to send battery * ‘They have to be able to defend themselves’ — Trump says US will send additional weapons shipments to Ukraine, criticizes Putin * EU to impose ‘toughest’ sanctions on Russia in coordination with US senators, French foreign minister says * Russia’s Black Sea Fleet shrinks presence in key Crimean bay, Ukrainian partisans say * Putin signs decree allowing foreigners to serve in Russian army during

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘They have to be able to defend themselves’ — Trump says US will send additional weapons shipments to Ukraine, criticizes Putin

“They’re getting hit very hard. We’re gonna have to send more weapons, your defensive weapons primarily,” U.S. President Donald Trump said.

The Kyiv IndependentVolodymyr Ivanyshyn

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘They have to be able to defend themselves’ — Trump says US will send additional weapons shipments to Ukraine, criticizes Putin

“They’re getting hit very hard. We’re gonna have to send more weapons, your defensive weapons primarily,” U.S. President Donald Trump said.

The Kyiv IndependentVolodymyr Ivanyshyn

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HUR publishes Russian military order, claims proof of Moscow increasing military footprint in Armenia

HUR first made the claim on July 5, saying Russia was increasing its forces at the Gyumri base to exert greater influence in the South Caucasus and “destabilize the global security situation.”

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As Ukraine awaits stalled US weapons, Trump says he’s ‘helping a lot’ in war with Russia

“I am helping Ukraine. I’m helping it a lot,” U.S. President Donald Trump said when asked in Washington why the U.S. does not support Ukraine as strongly as it supports Israel.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

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.

China unveils its new ‘graphite bomb’ — here’s how they work

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

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ukrainian drone strike on Russian airfield hits bomb depot, aircraft

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

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Kyiv Independent couldn't immediately verify these claims.

Join our community

Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight.

Support Us

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trump says Putin ‘wants to keep killing people,’ signals US may send Patriots to Ukraine

“It just seems like he wants to go all the way and just keep killing people. It’s not good,” U.S. President Donald Trump said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trump says Putin ‘wants to keep killing people,’ signals US may send Patriots to Ukraine

“It just seems like he wants to go all the way and just keep killing people. It’s not good,” U.S. President Donald Trump said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Russian officials also confirmed drone strikes across several regions.

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

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

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

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

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

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims.

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

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

The Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He added that Ukraine urgently needs air defense systems.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

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

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

Arrests, raids, beaten and bloodied suspects — how Russia-Azerbaijan relations have unravelled

Deaths in custody, media offices raided, and beaten and bloodied suspects paraded in court — relations between Russia and Azerbaijan, once considered close, have sharply deteriorated in recent days amid a series of high-profile incidents. The latest tensions erupted over the weekend when Russian law enforcement officers detained over 50 Azerbaijani

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy