Seven killed in Russian strikes as Ukraine retaliates with drone attacks

At least seven people were killed in Russian strikes across Ukraine overnight, including five in the central city of Dnipro, where an apartment building was hit. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the latest attack lasted "practically all night," while rescue workers continued to search for survivors under the rubble in Dnipro on Saturday morning.

In response to the heavy attack, British jets were scrambled from Romania when Russian drones were detected near the border, although the UK Ministry of Defence dismissed reports that any drones were shot down. Meanwhile, Ukraine conducted some of its longest-distance drone strikes deep inside Russian territory, injuring six people in Yekaterinburg and intercepting drones targeting an industrial facility in Chelyabinsk. Russian missiles and drones also targeted Chernihiv, Odesa, and Kharkiv, resulting in additional casualties.

Zelensky remarked on social media, "The Russians' tactics have not changed: strike drones, cruise missiles, and a significant amount of ballistics. Most of the targets are ordinary infrastructure in cities." Ukrainian authorities reported that they repelled the majority of over 600 Russian drones, marking this as one of the largest attacks in recent days.

Russia's Ministry of Defence claimed to have shot down 127 drones and reported taking control of Bochkove, a village in the Kharkiv region, though Ukrainian authorities have not confirmed this. Romania's defence ministry is investigating an object that fell on its territory during the Russian attack, clarifying that British jets did not enter Ukrainian airspace and did not shoot down any drones.

With peace talks at an impasse, Ukraine is actively seeking international support for its military efforts. Recently, Zelensky met with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss strengthening air defense cooperation and joint military production, highlighting a renewed interest in Ukraine's drone warfare expertise among Gulf allies.