Russian forces launched drone attacks across several regions in Ukraine overnight into Tuesday, bringing the death toll since Sunday to five, according to regional authorities.
In Dnipro, an apartment building, six houses and a school were damaged by drone debris, but no injuries were reported.
Several districts in the surrounding Dnipropetrovsk region were also hit by Shahed-type and FPV drones, injuring a 63-year-old woman in the Nikopol district, according to regional governor Serhii Lysak.
In Zaporizhzhia, a 60-year-old woman and a 66-year-old man were injured during Russian attacks against the Polohy district, according to Governor Ivan Fedorov.
A hangar and an administrative building were damaged in the strike on Zaporizhzhia, City Council Secretary Regina Kharchenko reported. She added that a fire also broke out on the roof of a multi-story residential building.
Kharchenko noted that the fire was quickly extinguished and no casualties were reported.
A 57-year-old woman was killed in a Russian strike on Kharkiv, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov reported. Nine other town in the regions were also targeted, injuring a further nine people, including two children, Syniehubov added.
Twelve people were injured during Russian attacks in Sumy, including a 14-year-old girl, regional authorities reported.
A university in the city was hit by three Russian drones, injuring five staff members and a 19-year-old student, according to authorities. A medical facility, cars and non-residential buildings were also damaged.
Russia also launched a missile attack on the town of Shostka in the Sumy region, damaging a medical facility and injuring another 14-year-old girl, the regional military administration reported. Several residential buildings were reported damaged.
Russia claimed on Monday that its forces had struck Ukrainian military-industrial facilities, while Ukraine reported repelling Russian attacks on multiple fronts.
The Russian Defence Ministry reported that over the past 24 hours, Russian forces had taken control of two villages in eastern Ukraine, one in the Zaporizhzhia region and one in the Donetsk region.
The ministry also claimed Russian air defence forces destroyed three Ukrainian aerial bombs and shot down 120 drones.
Trump’s 50-day ultimatum
US President Donald Trump and NATO chief Mark Rutte announced further arms deliveries for Ukraine on Monday, that the US will manufacture and European NATO countries will pay for.
Trump also said he is giving Russia 50 days to reach a peace deal, or face what he said would be “very severe” economic sanctions.
While some believe strict tariffs on Moscow could be a game changer, the postponement until September struck others as being too long.
Russia is making a summer push to break through the 1,000-kilometre front line and its drones and missiles are hammering Ukrainian cities more than at any time in the past three years.
For Russia, Trump’s delay of new sanctions is a reprieve. Senior Russian lawmaker Konstantin Kosachev commented: “Oh, how much can change both on the battlefield and with the mood of those leading the US and NATO in 50 days.”
Russian state television pointed out that Trump’s decision would bring a bigger financial burden for Europe.
Russia currently holds about 20% of Ukraine. Ukraine’s depleted army has recently been losing more territory, but there is no sign of a looming collapse of the front line, analysts say.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he spoke to Trump after the Republican leader’s Oval Office announcement Monday, expressing gratitude for the decision to send more Patriot air defence missiles that are vital to defend Ukrainian cities.
“We discussed…the necessary measures and decisions to provide greater protection for people from Russian attacks and strengthen our positions,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram.
“We agreed to talk more often and coordinate our steps in the future.”
Additional sources • AP
