At least two people were killed and dozens injured in overnight Russian strikes across Ukraine, while a Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Belgorod region reportedly left three people dead, authorities in both countries said.
The latest attacks came as the war between Russia and Ukraine enters another phase of intensified long-range strikes, with both sides increasingly targeting areas far from the immediate front lines. The escalation has continued to take a heavy toll on civilians, more than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of intensifying its use of ballistic weapons, describing the attacks as a campaign of “ballistic terror.” In a statement on social media, he said Russia had launched 61 missiles of different types against Ukraine during the week.
Zelensky called for stronger international pressure on Moscow, including additional sanctions against Russia and increased air-defence support for Ukraine.
In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s northeastern regional capital, two people were killed when Russian drones struck the city, according to Zelensky. The attack also severely damaged a residential building, destroying four floors.
Regional Governor Oleg Synegoubov said 23 people were wounded in the Kharkiv attack. Images released by the governor showed a badly damaged building, with emergency personnel working amid the debris.
The overnight bombardment also affected Odesa, where eight people were reportedly injured. According to Zelensky, the strikes damaged sections of the electricity network, the port and residential properties.
Another attack hit the Dnipropetrovsk region, where Zelensky described a strike near a shopping centre in Pavlohrad as “absolutely brutal.” He said energy infrastructure was damaged and nine people, including four children, sustained injuries.
Videos and images circulating on social media, which could not be independently verified, appeared to show buildings engulfed in flames in what seemed to be a commercial district.
Meanwhile, Russia reported casualties from a Ukrainian drone assault in Belgorod, a city close to the Ukrainian border. Acting regional Governor Alexander Shuvaev said three people were killed and 25 others injured, including children aged four and nine.
Shuvaev also reported fires involving vehicles, two apartment buildings and a residential house. Footage released by Russian media showed a multi-storey apartment block burning at night as residents watched from across the street.
The United Nations has warned that civilian deaths linked to the conflict have continued to rise this year as attacks intensify.
Despite repeated diplomatic efforts, prospects for a comprehensive peace agreement remain uncertain, with the war continuing and both Russia and Ukraine maintaining their military operations.
