Ukraine Strikes Kill One in Russia's Saratov Region as Moscow Attacks Multiple Cities
Russian strikes across Ukraine killed at least two people and injured several others overnight, with Kyiv among the main targets hit by missiles that triggered fires, just ahead of a scheduled meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump at the Nato summit. Ukraine strikes on Russian territory formed part of the same overnight exchanges, underscoring the continuing back-and-forth across borders.
Russian Overnight Assaults Kill Two in Ukraine
Russian strikes across Ukraine killed at least two people and injured several others overnight, with Kyiv among the main targets hit by missiles that triggered fires. The assaults came just a day after one of the deadliest Russian attacks on Kyiv in recent months claimed 30 lives. [1] The renewed strikes underscored Moscow's continuing pressure on Ukraine even as Nato leaders prepared to discuss military support, regional security and the future course of the war. [1] Officials reported that the heaviest loss of life occurred in the southern Mykolaiv region, where a mother and daughter died after Russian forces struck with guided aerial bombs. [1] Two other people were injured in the same attack in Mykolaiv. [1] Russian strikes also hit several other regions across Ukraine, including the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region where four people were wounded after attacks involving drones and artillery. [1]
Kyiv Hit by Missiles Triggering Fires
Kyiv was among the main targets overnight. AFP journalists in the Ukrainian capital reported hearing a powerful explosion even before air raid sirens were activated, followed by at least four more blasts as Russia intensified its bombardment. [1] Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a missile strike set warehouses on fire in one district, while another attack ignited a blaze at a non-residential building elsewhere in the city. [1] Ukraine's State Emergency Service later said two people were wounded in the capital. [1] Kyiv came under a Russian missile attack early Wednesday, triggering fires and injuring at least two people, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. [3] The capital's exposure to these strikes highlighted the intensity of the overnight wave that also affected multiple other regions.
Deadly Strike in Mykolaiv Region
The heaviest loss of life was reported from the southern Mykolaiv region, where a mother and daughter were killed after Russian forces struck with guided aerial bombs, according to regional military chief Vitaliy Kim. [1] Two other people were injured in the same attack. [1] This incident stood out amid the broader Russian overnight assaults that killed at least two people across Ukraine and injured several others. [1] The guided aerial bombs used in Mykolaiv added to the pattern of strikes that followed one of the deadliest Russian attacks on Kyiv in recent months, which had claimed 30 lives. [1]
Casualties Reported Across Other Regions
Russian strikes also hit several other regions across Ukraine. Officials said four people were wounded in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region after attacks involving drones and artillery. [1] In the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, two more people were injured in another Russian strike, according to the head of the regional military administration. [1] Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, also came under attack, with Mayor Ihor Terekhov saying two people were wounded. [1] A Russian drone attacked a car in Kherson's Korabelnyi district on the morning of 8 July, leaving two men injured. [2] Men aged 60 and 57 have been injured in that incident. [2] One of the men was taken to hospital for further examination, while the other was diagnosed with blast injuries and acoustic barotrauma and will continue treatment on an outpatient basis after receiving necessary medical treatment. [2]
Ukrainian Retaliatory Drone Strike on Russia
Ukraine continued to target Russian territory as well. In Russia's Saratov region, Governor Roman Busargin said one person was killed in a Ukrainian drone attack. [1] These Ukraine strikes occurred alongside the Russian overnight assaults that killed at least two people in Ukraine and injured others in multiple regions. [1] The exchanges illustrated the mutual targeting that persisted even as preparations advanced for discussions on military support and regional security.
Strikes Come Ahead of Zelenskyy-Trump Meeting
The latest escalation comes ahead of the scheduled meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy on Wednesday, where the war is expected to dominate discussions alongside broader Nato security priorities. [1] The assaults follow one of the deadliest Russian attacks on Kyiv in recent months that killed 30 people. [1] Zelenskyy has repeatedly urged Ukraine's Western allies to provide more air defence systems and interceptor missiles, warning that the country is running short of the equipment needed to counter Russia's growing use of ballistic missiles. [1] While Ukraine has continued to intercept large numbers of Russian drones, officials say Moscow has increasingly relied on ballistic missile attacks against Kyiv, placing additional pressure on the country's already stretched air defence network. [1]
What to watch next: The scheduled meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Nato summit in Ankara is expected to focus on the war alongside broader Nato security priorities, with Zelenskyy continuing to urge more air defence systems amid Russia's use of ballistic missiles.
