Deaths and Injuries in Russia–Ukraine Drone Attacks as Kyiv Claims Territorial Gains in Kharkiv
Russia confirmed the deaths of two people following a Ukrainian drone attack on a southern region of the country, a day after seven others were injured in a separate strike. Meanwhile, Ukraine announced it had regained control of two settlements in the Kharkiv region in the northeast.
Roman Busargin, governor of Russia’s Saratov region, said two people were killed and infrastructure was damaged after an air-raid alert was issued due to incoming drones. While he did not provide specific details about the attack, Busargin referred to earlier warnings from Russia’s Defense Ministry about imminent drone strikes in areas along both banks of the Volga River.
On Friday, seven people, including a child, were injured in a Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Tver region west of Moscow, according to regional governor Vitaly Korolyov. The attack forced the evacuation of around 20 residents after debris from the drone struck a residential building.
Korolyov said on Telegram that emergency services were working to address the aftermath of the incident. Russia’s state news agency TASS reported that the attack sparked a fire in the building, while the Russian Defense Ministry said it had shot down 90 Ukrainian drones over several Russian regions overnight.
Ukrainian Advances in Kharkiv
On the battlefield, Ukrainian forces announced on Saturday that they had recaptured two settlements near the strategic city of Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region.
In a statement on Telegram, Ukraine’s Khartia Brigade said its troops had achieved a breakthrough to the Oskil River, cutting enemy supply lines and regaining control of Kindrashivka and Radkivka, as well as several northern districts of Kupiansk. Russia had claimed control of the city last month.
The brigade said the operation was part of Kyiv’s broader efforts to halt Russian advances in the area.
Continued Russian Strikes
Elsewhere, Ukrainian authorities reported one death and several injuries following Russian shelling in the Dnipro region. Officials in Sumy also said two people were killed and others wounded during intense Russian bombardment.
In southern Ukraine, Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper said Russia launched overnight drone attacks targeting energy facilities, causing fires and widespread power outages. According to Kiper, the strikes cut electricity to multiple residential areas, including zones near Ukraine’s major seaports.
Russia has carried out near-daily air and missile strikes across Ukraine since the start of its full-scale invasion in February 2022, while Ukraine has increasingly relied on drone attacks targeting military sites and energy infrastructure inside Russian territory.
