Ukraine launched a massive nighttime barrage of 660 drones, targeting key sites across Russia and in illegally annexed Crimea, in what appears to be one of the largest drone assaults since Moscow's full-scale invasion began. The campaign of long-range drone strikes aims to disrupt Russian fuel supplies, military deliveries, and pressure President Vladimir Putin.
Ukrainian security services reported striking two Russian navy ships, the Volga and the Vyatka, and the cargo-passenger ferry Petropavlovsk in the port city of Kerch, Crimea. These strikes allegedly started a large fire, though this claim could not be independently verified. The Ukrainian air force reported stopping 174 out of 189 Russian drones launched overnight, but noted that four out of seven fired Iskander-M ballistic missiles penetrated air defenses.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on X that he had ordered a 40-day "influence operation," interpreted as an escalation of attacks, intended to compel Russia to end the war. Zelensky also indicated that recent promises of foreign support, including from U.S. President Donald Trump at a G7 summit, would bolster Ukraine's efforts to bring Russia to the negotiating table. A forthcoming NATO summit is also anticipated to bring further military aid.
Reports of damage within Russia have emerged. In the Tula region, south of Moscow, a private house was damaged and a woman was wounded by a drone attack, according to Tula Governor Dmitry Milyaev. An unspecified industrial facility in Novomoskovsk was also reportedly hit, with independent outlet Astra reporting fires at a chemical plant and a hydroelectric plant. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that 47 Ukrainian drones were downed en route to the capital, with no reported casualties or damage.
Meanwhile, Russian forces continued attacks within Ukraine. Over the preceding 24 hours, two people were killed and seven injured in Russian strikes on the northeastern Kharkiv region, according to regional head Oleh Syniehubov. Ukrainian officials reported damage to energy facilities, homes, and civilian infrastructure in Kyiv, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, and Sumy regions, with at least six people wounded.