Russian strikes hit Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia as Ukraine faces internal election debate

A new wave of Russian missile and drone attacks struck Ukraine overnight, causing damage across Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Chernihiv, and Kharkiv. A missile raid in the Kharkiv region left ten people dead, while another strike in Zaporizhzhia killed one person and wounded six. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed a response to the strikes, which targeted civilian infrastructure and caused power outages near the capital. Ukrainian forces retaliated by launching drones toward Moscow, several of which were intercepted.

Domestically, former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov renewed calls for national elections, declaring that "democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia" and calling for a legal framework to conduct voting during wartime. The push coincides with ongoing anti-corruption investigations into associates of Zelensky and a parliamentary vote to confirm Yevhenii Khmara as the new defense minister.

Sources: ANSA, Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, Il Sole 24 Ore, La Repubblica.