Ukraine war: Russian and Ukrainian strikes leave five dead across both countries

Yesterday 09:45

By: Sahili Aya

Ukraine war: Russian and Ukrainian strikes leave five dead across both countries

A fresh exchange of strikes between Russia and Ukraine has killed at least five people on both sides of the border, with Russian attacks causing casualties across several Ukrainian regions and a Ukrainian drone operation leaving three people dead in Russia’s Belgorod region.

The overnight attacks from Saturday into Sunday came as the United Nations continues to warn of a worsening toll on civilians in Ukraine this year.

Russian strikes hit Kharkiv and other regions

In Kharkiv, a Russian drone strike killed two people and heavily damaged a residential building, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky said the attack destroyed four floors of an apartment block in the northeastern city. Regional governor Oleg Synegoubov reported that 23 people were injured.

Images released following the strike showed extensive damage to the building as emergency crews worked at the scene.

Other parts of Ukraine were also targeted during the night. In Odesa, eight people were injured, while strikes damaged parts of the electricity network, the port and residential buildings.

Energy infrastructure also targeted

Zelensky described another strike near Pavlohrad, in the Dnipropetrovsk region, as “absolutely brutal”. The attack targeted energy infrastructure close to a shopping centre.

The Ukrainian president also accused Russia of pursuing what he described as a campaign of ballistic terror, as repeated attacks continue to place pressure on civilian infrastructure and essential services.

The damage to electricity facilities is particularly significant during a period when repeated attacks on energy infrastructure have become a central feature of the conflict.

Three killed in Russia’s Belgorod region

Ukraine also carried out a drone attack on Russian territory, according to Russian authorities.

Three people were killed in the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine. The incident illustrates the increasingly reciprocal nature of long-range attacks, with both countries regularly reporting strikes beyond the immediate front line.

The latest casualties add to a civilian death toll that the United Nations says has increased in Ukraine this year.

Civilian population continues to bear the cost

The latest attacks underline the continuing risks faced by civilians more than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Residential buildings, energy infrastructure and transport facilities remain exposed to missile and drone strikes, while attacks on both sides continue despite diplomatic efforts aimed at finding a path toward an end to the war.

With further strikes reported overnight, the conflict remains capable of producing significant civilian casualties far from the main battlefront.