Russia Intensifies Aerial Attacks on Ukraine, Killing at Least 7

Russian attacks killed at least seven people across Ukraine on Saturday as the aerial conflict between Moscow and Kyiv intensified, officials reported.

Russia has intensified its aerial bombardment of Ukraine, employing cruise and ballistic missiles, powerful glide bombs, and jet-powered drones. This escalation occurs as front-line progress has slowed approximately four and a half years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Telegram that the strikes included "numerous strikes on residential homes" in Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, and the Odesa, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions. In Zaporizhzhia, two women died after being trapped under the rubble of their destroyed home, according to the regional military administration. Separate Russian attacks in Sumy also resulted in two fatalities, local officials confirmed.

"It is essential that our partners not forget: Russia is escalating every single day. If the Russians have chosen to make their strikes even more brutal, the world must choose stronger responses to keep the war from spreading further," Zelenskyy wrote.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's long-range drones have targeted Russian oil refineries and businesses. An attack on the southern Krasnodar region killed three people and wounded two, according to local officials. Regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev reported that a Ukrainian strike sparked fires at two industrial sites, and Russian media indicated an oil refinery was targeted.

In the Kyiv region, two people were injured overnight when a Russian drone attack caused a fire at a warehouse in the Boryspil district. Russian drones also struck multiple districts within Kyiv, injuring four people and damaging residential and office buildings, officials said. Russia's Ministry of Defense stated that its attack on Kyiv damaged a data center supporting cellphone internet services and Starlink satellite communication systems.