Cross-border air attacks escalate as casualties rise across Ukraine and Russia

Heavy aerial bombardments and retaliatory drone strikes have intensified between Ukraine and Russia, causing dozens of casualties across multiple regions. In Ukraine, Russian missile and drone attacks against Kyiv left at least 17 people dead and 44 injured, while glide bombs struck residential areas in Zaporizhzhia. President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated urgent requests for Western air defense interceptors, maintaining that additional missile systems would have prevented the fatalities.

Simultaneously, Ukrainian drone attacks hit several Russian regions and occupied territories, resulting in casualties in Belgorod, Crimea, Gelendzhik, and the outskirts of Moscow. Zelensky stated that Russian forces relocated frontline defense units to establish multi-layered protective shields around Moscow and St. Petersburg. Meanwhile, political discussions continue abroad as former US president Donald Trump voiced caution regarding the domestic production of Patriot missile systems in Ukraine.

Sources: ANSA, Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, La Repubblica, La Stampa.