At least six killed as Russian strikes hit Ukraine overnight

Russian strikes across multiple Ukrainian regions killed at least six people and injured dozens more over the past day, according to local officials.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, two women were killed and seven people injured, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said Saturday, adding that 86 reports of damage to infrastructure, homes and vehicles had been received. In Donetsk, governor Vadym Filashkin reported two deaths and eight injuries, alongside the evacuation of 1,121 people from front-line areas. In Kherson Oblast, one person was killed and three injured, with five private homes damaged and vehicles destroyed, according to regional administration head Oleksandr Prokudin.

A 69-year-old man died in a drone strike on the Sumy region, where a further 10 people were wounded in a separate guided bomb attack. In Kyiv, five people were injured overnight, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

Ukraine's air force reported that Russia launched 173 attack drones overnight, of which 134 were shot down or neutralised, with strikes recorded at 19 locations. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also said Russia carried out a "double strike" on a logistics facility serving McDonald's, warning that such attacks damage businesses and threaten jobs.

Putin's remarks

Speaking to reporters in Saint Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was not preparing for conflict with Europe, despite warnings from European officials over a rise in suspected Russian hybrid attacks. He said there was no motive to escalate tensions with Europe, including the Baltic states.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, sitting on NATO's eastern flank, have recently seen a sharp increase in drone incursions, raising concerns over airspace security and prompting Brussels to step up coordination of Europe's response.