Overnight drone strikes kill three as Russia, Ukraine exchange blame

Russian and Ukrainian officials on Friday traded accusations over a wave of overnight drone attacks that left three people dead and more than a dozen injured across both countries, as aerial warfare between the two nations showed no signs of abating.

Russian regions hit

Perm Governor Dmitry Makhonin stated on Telegram that air defenses shot down 39 drones in his region, where one person later died from wounds sustained during the assault on an industrial facility. "Cleanup operations are underway following the drone strike on an industrial facility. Emergency services are working at the scene," Makhonin said.

In the Ulyanovsk region, Governor Aleksey Russkikh said that overnight Ukrainian drone strikes damaged industrial and civilian infrastructure. "According to preliminary data, eight people – seven adults and one child – were injured," Russkikh said, noting that five of those injured are in moderate condition. Voronezh Governor Aleksandr Gusev reported four people injured in the regional capital while claiming that air defenses downed 88 Ukrainian drones, with debris damaging several non-residential buildings.

Ukrainian targets struck

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed its forces destroyed 592 Ukrainian drones over 18 regions as well as the Black Sea and Crimea, and said strikes hit a drone assembly site in Boryspil belonging to defense technology firm Fire Point. The ministry also reported targeting logistics centers in Odesa and Nerubaiske, plus docking infrastructure in the port of Reni and a dry-cargo vessel allegedly supporting Ukrainian military operations.

Kyiv region Governor Tymur Tkachenko confirmed damage to a production facility in Boryspil district, a warehouse in Brovary district, and three private homes in Obukhiv district. "A total of nine properties in the region sustained damage. According to preliminary information, there were no casualties. Emergency services are working to address the aftermath of the attack," Tkachenko added. The Kyiv City Military Administration later reported one person killed and another injured in the capital, while Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper said one person died and another was wounded in strikes on residential areas and postal service logistics facilities.

Air war intensifies

Ukraine's Air Force said it intercepted 267 out of 295 drones launched by Russia overnight. Both countries have intensified strikes in recent months against each other's logistics hubs, ports, and energy infrastructure, while each denies deliberately targeting civilians and insists that only military objectives are being hit despite repeated damage to residential buildings and industrial sites.