Russian, Ukrainian Long-Range Strikes Kill at Least 17
KYIV-At least 17 people were killed on Friday in long-range Russian and Ukrainian strikes, with attacks reported near Kyiv, in eastern Ukraine and deep inside Russia, as both sides intensified cross-border assaults amid stalled diplomatic efforts to end the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a Russian missile strike outside the Ukrainian capital killed six people, while rescue operations continued amid reports that dozens more had been injured.
Zelensky also said five people were killed in the frontline city of Sloviansk after Russian forces carried out aerial bombing. Local governor Vadym Filashkin said Russia dropped two aerial bombs on the city, which lies close to the front line in eastern Ukraine.
On the same day, Ukraine launched a wave of long-range drone and missile attacks targeting sites inside Russia.
Russian authorities said an attack on a factory in the city of Kirov, more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the front line, killed six people and wounded 26 others. Kirov Governor Alexander Sokolov confirmed the strike on what he described as a factory, saying the victims died at the scene.
Zelensky said Ukraine had struck a “key military enterprise” in Kirov that supplies components for Russian aircraft and missile systems used in attacks on Ukrainian cities.
Ukraine also targeted warehouses belonging to Russian online retailer Wildberries outside St. Petersburg, marking the third reported attack on the company’s facilities this week. Zelensky said the operation was successful and accused Wildberries of storing drone components and assisting Russia’s military, an allegation included in his remarks.
The strikes underscore the growing reach of Ukraine’s long-range capabilities, with attacks extending hundreds of kilometers inside Russia. Kyiv has said such operations are intended to weaken Moscow’s military capacity and increase pressure on the Kremlin to negotiate an end to the conflict.
In St. Petersburg, smoke rose from Wildberries warehouses following the attacks. Residents expressed mixed reactions, with some saying the strikes strengthened support for Russia’s military campaign, while others voiced concern over the worsening security situation.
Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities have continued throughout the war, with civilians frequently among the casualties. Moscow controls large areas of eastern and southern Ukraine and has maintained its territorial demands as fighting continues.
The latest exchange of strikes comes as the United Nations reported this week that civilian casualties in the war increased by 37% during the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year, reaching their highest levels since the opening months of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict remain deadlocked as both sides continue to exchange long-range missile and drone attacks far beyond the front lines.
