A Belgorod drone attack killed six people and injured 25 as Russia and Ukraine exchanged another wave of deadly strikes. Residential areas were damaged in Belgorod and Kharkiv, while attacks around Odesa highlighted the growing focus on ports, energy and logistics.
Belgorod Drone Attack Kills Six Civilians
Six people were killed and 25 others injured in an overnight Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian city of Belgorod, according to an updated statement from the regional crisis centre. Earlier reports had placed the death toll at three before authorities raised it as emergency crews continued searching damaged buildings.
Acting Belgorod Governor Alexander Shuvayev said fires broke out in two apartment buildings and that numerous residential and non-residential properties were damaged. Among those initially reported injured were two children.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defences destroyed more than 150 Ukrainian drones across European Russia and other areas overnight. Separately, the ministry said 12 UAVs were intercepted over Bashkortostan and Tatarstan on Sunday morning.
Kharkiv Residential Strike Causes Civilian Casualties
Ukraine also reported deadly Russian attacks during the same period. A strike on a residential building in Kharkiv killed three people and wounded 37, according to Ukrainian authorities. Emergency workers searched damaged sections of the building as rescue operations continued.
The simultaneous attacks in Belgorod and Kharkiv underline the growing danger to civilians far beyond the immediate front line as both sides increasingly use long-range drones and missiles.
Civilian apartment blocks, energy facilities, ports and logistics infrastructure have become recurring targets or suffered damage during the escalating exchange of strikes.
Russian Forces Target Odesa Port Infrastructure
Russia’s Defence Ministry separately said its forces struck fuel storage facilities that it claimed were being used for Ukrainian military purposes in Odesa and nearby Chornomorsk.
The ministry also reported strikes around Biliari and Novi Biliari near Odesa. The battlefield claims could not be independently verified.
Ukraine, meanwhile, said Russian attacks damaged Odesa port infrastructure and threatened a region central to the country’s agricultural exports. Energy facilities were also hit, temporarily leaving many residents without electricity before supplies were partially restored.
Russia-Ukraine Drone War Intensifies
The latest attacks are part of a broader expansion in long-range warfare. Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian logistics, oil facilities and other infrastructure, while Moscow has intensified strikes against Ukrainian cities, ports and energy networks.
Kyiv continues to press its partners for stronger air-defence capabilities as Russia increases its use of missiles and drones. President Volodymyr Zelensky has also claimed that between 30,000 and 50,000 additional North Korean troops could be deployed to Russia and has urged South Korea to provide greater air-defence support.
The claim regarding additional North Korean forces has not been independently confirmed, and Zelensky did not publicly disclose the intelligence behind the estimate.
The latest civilian casualties in Belgorod and Kharkiv show that the conflict is increasingly being fought through long-range attacks on cities and infrastructure. With both sides expanding drone operations, the risk to civilians and critical facilities remains high even far from the main battlefield.
