KYIV — Russian forces launched another wave of overnight drone and missile strikes across Ukraine, killing at least seven civilians and injuring dozens, Ukrainian regional authorities said on Sunday, as Moscow and Kyiv continued exchanging long-range attacks far beyond the front lines.
Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 125 Shahed-type attack drones, one anti-radar missile and three guided air missiles overnight. Air defenses destroyed or electronically suppressed 112 of the drones, while officials reported that several drones and missiles struck targets in multiple regions after penetrating the country's defenses.
Regional authorities said at least seven civilians were killed and 39 others were injured during attacks over the previous 24 hours. Casualties were reported in several frontline regions, where Russian forces continued using drones, artillery and guided munitions against towns and villages, according to Ukrainian officials.
In the Kharkiv region, Russian drone strikes killed two men in the town of Bohodukhiv, while separate attacks on the regional capital injured three people and damaged commercial and residential buildings, local authorities said. Emergency services responded to multiple sites following the strikes.
The latest attacks came days after one of the deadliest Russian assaults on Kyiv this year, in which missiles and drones struck residential neighborhoods across the capital, killing dozens of civilians and prompting renewed calls from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for additional Western air defense systems.
Russia's Defense Ministry has repeatedly said its long-range strikes target military, defense-industrial and energy facilities. Ukrainian officials maintain that residential areas and civilian infrastructure have been repeatedly hit during the attacks.
The renewed bombardment followed an escalation in Ukrainian long-range drone operations against targets inside Russia. Ukrainian authorities have acknowledged intensifying strikes on Russian military and energy infrastructure, describing them as efforts to reduce Moscow's capacity to sustain its military campaign. Russian regional officials have reported repeated drone attacks on fuel depots, ports and other facilities in recent days.
The conflict, now in its fifth year since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, has seen both sides expand the use of long-range drones and missiles while fighting continues along the eastern and southern front lines.
There was no indication from either side on Sunday that the latest exchange of attacks had altered military operations or diplomatic efforts, and emergency crews in Ukraine continued assessing damage and assisting residents in affected areas.
