Russian aerial attacks have once again struck civilian targets across Ukraine, killing at least three people and wounding 41, officials said Monday. The strikes, which include drone‑borne munitions, are part of Moscow’s ongoing campaign to wear down Ukrainian resistance and disrupt the nation’s economy.
Ukrainian offensive gains ground
Amid the bombardment, Ukraine’s Third Army Corps announced that its forces have recaptured an additional 51 square kilometres (20 square miles) from Russian occupiers, bringing the total reclaimed area since the launch of Operation Vivaldi to 176 square kilometres (68 square miles). The operation, launched several months ago along a 1,250‑kilometre (800‑mile) front, aims to break through entrenched Russian defenses.
To achieve the breakthrough, Ukrainian troops have converted Soviet‑era BTR‑60 armored personnel carriers into kamikaze‑style vehicles that target the strongest Russian fortifications. Ground robots have also been deployed to strike Russian positions.
Russian claims and ongoing attacks
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that its forces captured the villages of Novovodiane in the Donetsk region and Ulanove in the northern Sumy region. The ministry also said Russian forces struck two data centres in Kyiv, gas stations in the capital, and a distribution hub of the Nova Poshta postal service in Odesa. Additionally, Russian forces hit cargo ships in the Black Sea and in the port of Chornomorsk, actions the ministry says are intended to curb Ukraine’s grain exports.
Despite Moscow’s claim that it targets only military sites, Russian drone attacks regularly hit civilian areas. In the Kyiv region, three people were killed and eight injured, according to regional military administrator Tymur Tkachenko. A nine‑story apartment building in Kharkiv was hit, wounding 38 people, including ten children, said Mayor Ihor Terekhov. In the Chernihiv region, a drone strike injured four people, including two teenage girls, according to regional administrator Viacheslav Chaus.
Ukrainian counter‑strikes
Ukrainian long‑range drones have also targeted fuel depots and industrial facilities deep inside Russia, aiming at assets that support Moscow’s war effort. Overnight, Ukrainian drones sparked fires at three infrastructure sites in Russia’s Krasnodar region, though local officials did not disclose the exact locations.
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its air defenses downed 254 Ukrainian drones during the same period.
International context
The latest wave of attacks follows a week of diplomatic activity at the United Nations, where officials sought to revive negotiations to end the invasion that began four and a half years ago. Battlefield positions have changed little since last year, in part because the pervasive use of drones limits troop movements on both sides.
Independent verification of the Ukrainian claims of territorial gains was not possible at the time of reporting.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
