Pregnant Woman Among Civilian Casualties in Ukraine-Russia Strikes

Photo : AP

In Kyiv, Ukraine initiated a series of drone attacks on Russia early Saturday, igniting a fuel depot, officials reported, as both sides traded accusations of deadly assaults on civilians. The governor of Russia's Belgorod region confirmed at least three casualties from cross-border Ukrainian attacks, while a Russian strike resulted in two deaths in northeast Ukraine.

According to a source within Ukraine's defense sector speaking to AFP, Kyiv conducted a "large-scale" drone strike targeting eight Russian regions, specifically aimed at energy infrastructure supporting Russia's military-industrial complex. The attack allegedly hit three electrical substations and a fuel storage base, setting them ablaze. The source characterized the operation as a collaboration between Ukraine's SBU security service, army, and military intelligence.

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Russia's defense ministry reported intercepting 50 Ukrainian drones overnight, some detected hundreds of kilometers from the border, including near Moscow. Social media footage purportedly showed a significant fire at a fuel depot in Russia's Smolensk region, confirmed by the governor as a result of drone strikes.

Governor Vasily Anokhin stated that air defense forces downed the drones, but falling debris ignited a tank containing fuel and lubricants.

Kyiv has intensified strikes on Russian oil and gas facilities in recent months, as part of its retaliatory measures against infrastructure aiding Russia's military efforts.

In retaliation, Ukrainian drones caused two fatalities in Russia's Belgorod region, with subsequent shelling claiming the life of a pregnant woman. The village of Poroz saw significant damage, with residential buildings and a barn engulfed in flames, resulting in the deaths of a woman and a man.

Further tragedy unfolded as Ukraine reported Russian strikes on residential buildings in Vovchansk, northeastern Ukraine, resulting in two deaths and injuries to two others. The regional governor, Oleg Sinegubov, shared images of a collapsed section of a residential block.

Overnight, Russia launched at least seven missiles at Ukraine, with two intercepted by air defenses, as confirmed by Ukraine's air force. In light of escalating attacks on civilian infrastructure, Ukraine has urged Western allies for increased air defense support.

The strikes occurred amidst President Volodymyr Zelensky's appeal to NATO for urgent aid, stressing the need for additional air defense systems to counter Russian aggression and mitigate civilian casualties.