Russian Army Launches New Drone Strikes Against Ukraine

In the early hours of Monday, the Russian military executed a significant drone attack on Ukraine, deploying large swarms of drones across various regions. The Ukrainian Air Force issued warnings on Telegram regarding impending strikes from Russian strategic bombers armed with cruise missiles. Consequently, air raid alerts were activated throughout the nation.

Due to these developments, several airports in the Russian capital had to temporarily suspend flights. Prior to this escalation, air raid alerts had already been in effect in northern, eastern, and southern Ukraine. Military observers reported that over 100 Russian combat drones were airborne before midnight. As per the information provided by the Ukrainian Air Force, drone strikes targeted the port city of Odessa, while residents in the eastern city of Kharkiv reported multiple strong explosions, as confirmed by regional military administrator Oleh Synjehubow.

There were no immediate reports regarding casualties or damage from these attacks. The Russian military's strategy appears aimed at overwhelming Ukraine's air defense systems by launching drones from multiple directions, thereby creating a broader front for their offensive. This series of strikes follows heavy bombardments from the previous weekend, which included rockets and cruise missiles, resulting in the deaths of 12 individuals and leaving nearly 80 injured on Sunday alone.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky characterized these attacks as some of the worst drone strikes since the onset of the war, estimating that nearly 300 drone attacks and around 70 strikes involving missiles occurred just on the night from Saturday to Sunday. Emergency services were deployed across more than 30 cities and villages in Ukraine to respond to the crisis, with reports of fatalities, including children.

Zelensky accused Russia of engaging in acts of terror and urged the international community to exert greater pressure on Moscow. Ukraine has been resisting the Russian invasion for over three years, and amid this ongoing conflict, U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed a desire to see an end to the fighting, though critics argue that he is not applying sufficient pressure on Russia to achieve this goal.