Russian aerial attacks killed two civilians and wounded several others in Ukraine as Moscow and Kyiv intensified their long-range strikes and exchanged new threats. The latest attacks hit Dnipro, Odesa and the Kyiv region, while Ukrainian drones continued targeting areas inside Russia. The escalation comes as the war stretches into its fifth year and diplomatic efforts have yet to produce a path toward peace.
Deadly Strikes Hit Dnipro and Other Ukrainian Regions
Russian aerial attacks overnight and during the day Wednesday killed a man and a woman in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, according to local officials.
The attack also struck food warehouses belonging to a retail chain and wounded at least six people, said Oleksandr Hanzha, head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 174 attack drones, including a large number of jet-powered drones that are more difficult to intercept. Russia also fired two ballistic missiles and two air-launched missiles.
Russian forces have increasingly targeted warehouses and other infrastructure in recent attacks. Ukrainian officials say strikes on food storage and distribution facilities are intended to disrupt daily life and weaken public morale.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for a stronger international response.
“Unfortunately, there has been far too little response from the world and its most influential leaders to this latest Russian escalation of strikes,” Zelenskyy said on social media Wednesday.
“Every partner knows what is needed: air defense for Ukraine, sanctions against Russia, and a significant increase in defense production.”
Odesa and Kyiv Face More Attacks
The attacks extended beyond Dnipro.
In the southern Odesa region, officials said a Russian strike damaged a 24-story residential building. Apartments on several floors were destroyed, and eight people were wounded, including a child.
In the Kyiv region, a man and woman suffered shrapnel wounds during morning attacks.
The latest assault marked the seventh consecutive day that Kyiv had come under attack. Although Wednesday’s barrage was less intense than some previous strikes, repeated air raid warnings have kept residents under pressure.
Russia has increasingly deployed jet-powered drones in its attacks. Between Thursday and Sunday alone, Russia fired nearly 1,500 drones at Ukraine, according to Zelenskyy, with around 800 of them jet-powered. Ukraine has been working on new interceptor drones and other technologies to counter the faster weapons.
Zelenskyy Warns Russian Airspace Could Become Unsafe
Ukraine has also increased its long-range attacks inside Russia.
Zelenskyy warned international airlines about the growing risks of flying through Russian airspace because of Ukrainian drone operations.
“Russian airspace will effectively be closing,” Zelenskyy said.
He argued that increasing military pressure on Russia could help push Moscow toward peace negotiations. Ukraine’s domestically produced long-range drones have repeatedly targeted Russian oil facilities and other infrastructure in an effort to weaken the country’s economy and bring the effects of the war closer to Russian civilians.
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said its drones struck 12 Russian refineries, three fuel terminals and oil depots, and two gas processing and petrochemical facilities during August.
Putin Accuses Ukraine of “State Terrorism”
Russian President Vladimir Putin responded sharply to Zelenskyy’s comments.
Putin accused the Ukrainian president of “state terrorism” and said, “We don’t negotiate with terrorists.”
Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation rejected Putin’s accusation and said Moscow was attempting to portray itself as a victim despite launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“A state that itself unleashed this war, that daily commits terror against Ukrainian civilians and destroys cities, is again trying to portray itself as a ‘victim,'” the center said.
Russian Transportation Minister Andrey Nikitin also dismissed concerns about the safety of Russian aviation.
“We will not allow any significant disruptions to civil aviation,” Nikitin said, according to Russian news agency Interfax.
Putin Leaves Open Possibility of Strikes on British Targets
Putin also addressed reports that Ukrainian forces had used British-made drones in attacks inside Russia.
During a late-night news conference at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan, Putin was asked whether Russia could attack British military facilities if the United Kingdom continued providing weapons to Ukraine.
He did not rule out the possibility, telling reporters that it was “a military secret.”
The comments came as European officials considered how to respond to alleged Russian sabotage operations elsewhere in Europe.
Germany recently blamed Russia for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport in August. German officials said an explosives-laden drone was discovered near a Ukrainian aircraft before the device was defused. Russia has denied responsibility.
Ukrainian Drones Kill Civilians in Russia
Russia also reported casualties from Ukrainian drone attacks.
The Russian Defense Ministry said air defenses destroyed 130 Ukrainian drones overnight across 11 Russian regions, the Black Sea and Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
In Russia’s Belgorod border region, Ukrainian drone attacks killed two people and wounded 16 others, according to acting regional Gov. Alexander Shuvayev.
He said Ukrainian forces struck the region 140 times over a 24-hour period.
Ukraine has increasingly used domestically developed drones to strike deeper into Russian territory. Oil infrastructure has been a major target as Kyiv attempts to reduce revenue and disrupt industries that support Russia’s war effort.
Russia’s Battlefield Advances Lose Momentum
Despite the growing intensity of the air war, movement along the main battlefield remains limited.
Western analysts say Russia’s attempts to push deeper into Ukrainian territory have lost momentum.
The Institute for the Study of War said Russia’s territorial advances during August were only “a fraction” of what Moscow gained during the same month a year earlier.
“Russian gains remain slow and limited,” the institute said.
Analysts also said Russia’s spring and summer offensive failed to break through Ukraine’s main defensive lines.
The situation leaves both countries relying increasingly on long-range drones, missiles and attacks against infrastructure while the front line remains largely deadlocked.
Air War Intensifies as Peace Remains Distant
The latest attacks show how the Russia-Ukraine war is continuing to escalate even as neither side achieves a decisive breakthrough on the battlefield. Russia is increasing drone and missile attacks against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, while Ukraine is expanding long-range strikes against Russian oil facilities and other targets.
With Putin and Zelenskyy exchanging new threats and both countries increasing pressure beyond the front line, civilians on both sides continue to face the consequences. Meanwhile, international diplomatic efforts have yet to produce a clear path toward ending a war that has now continued for more than four years.
