Russia and Ukraine exchange heavy strikes amid rising tensions
A deadly overnight drone assault by Russia on Kyiv left at least four civilians dead and 20 injured, with widespread destruction reported across the capital, Ukrainian officials confirmed Friday. The attack, which involved UAVs and ballistic missiles, sparked fires in residential and civil infrastructure sites, damaged train lines, and caused delays of up to 90 minutes, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.
Mayor Vitaly Klitschko reported that 16 of the injured have been hospitalized. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military responded by launching a preemptive strike on Russian airfields in the Saratov and Ryazan regions, targeting fuel storage and key military infrastructure.
The exchange of strikes comes after a recent Ukrainian drone attack destroyed several Russian strategic bombers. In response, President Vladimir Putin warned of retaliation during a phone call with former U.S. President Donald Trump, as Kremlin officials plan a more forceful reply.
Ukraine’s air force claimed it intercepted 406 out of 452 drones and missiles overnight, calling it the largest air assault yet. The western regions of Lutsk, Ternopil, and Khmelnytsky also suffered hits, with additional casualties, property damage, and fires reported.
In Russia, Ukrainian strikes injured three people in the Tula region. Russian air defenses intercepted a drone heading toward Moscow, part of a ten-drone attack allegedly repelled by authorities.
Despite growing international concern, Putin rejected any notion of a ceasefire or negotiations with President Volodymyr Zelensky, asserting that Ukraine must fully withdraw from territories claimed by Russia a demand Kyiv considers unacceptable.
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