At least two people have been killed and dozens injured following overnight Russian attacks across Ukraine, while a Ukrainian drone strike on Russia’s Belgorod region reportedly killed three people.
The latest attacks came as the war between the two countries continues to intensify, with both sides increasingly carrying out long-range strikes that have resulted in mounting civilian casualties.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of continuing what he described as “ballistic terror,” saying 61 missiles of different types had been launched at Ukraine during the week.
Zelensky called for increased international pressure on Moscow, including tougher sanctions and additional air defence systems for Ukraine.
In Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine, two people were killed in a Russian drone attack, according to Zelensky.
The strike also destroyed four floors of a residential building, while regional governor Oleg Synegoubov said 23 people were injured.
Images released by the governor showed a severely damaged building as emergency workers searched the site.
Another Russian attack on Odesa left eight people injured and damaged parts of the city’s electricity network, port facilities and residential buildings, according to Zelensky.
The Ukrainian president also reported an attack on energy infrastructure near a shopping centre in Pavlohrad, Dnipropetrovsk region, describing it as “absolutely brutal.”
Nine people, including four children, were injured in the Pavlohrad attack, he said.
Meanwhile, Russia reported casualties following a Ukrainian drone strike in Belgorod, a city near the Ukrainian border.
Acting regional governor Alexander Shuvaev said three people were killed and 25 others injured, including two children aged four and nine.
According to the Russian official, the attack also triggered fires involving vehicles, two apartment buildings and a private house.
Russian media published footage showing a residential building on fire during the night, although the circumstances surrounding the footage could not be independently verified.
On the battlefield, Russia’s military claimed on Sunday that its forces had taken control of two villages in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.
The claim has not been independently confirmed.
One of the settlements, Vasiutynske, is located roughly 10 kilometres from Kramatorsk, an important Ukrainian city and logistics centre.
The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, continues with diplomatic efforts toward a peace agreement showing little progress as fighting and long-range attacks persist.
