Ukraine faces fatal Russian raids as Kyiv launches retaliatory strikes

Nexus Europa Newsroom
Posted Aug 9, 2026, 10:00 AM UTC · In the digest of 2026-08-09-1000
Ukraine faces fatal Russian raids as Kyiv launches retaliatory strikes
Photo: Corriere della Sera

Russian strikes on Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia killed at least 17, prompting Ukrainian drone retaliation across Russian territory and calls by Zelensky for stronger air defenses.

A surge in Russian aerial bombardments across Ukraine killed at least 17 people in Kyiv and injured dozens in Zaporizhzhia, prompting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to call for urgent deliveries of Western air defense systems. Zelensky stated that additional interceptors "could have saved the lives" of those killed, while reiterating that Ukrainian forces would not voluntarily withdraw from Donbas due to expected post-war security guarantees from the United States.

In response, Ukrainian drone strikes targeted several Russian regions, including locations near Moscow, Belgorod, Crimea, and Gelendzhik, causing multiple casualties. Concurrently, former US President Donald Trump expressed caution regarding the transfer of sensitive Patriot missile technology to Ukraine. At sea, Italian naval forces intercepted a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker near Pantelleria. Additionally, reports emerged in Russia regarding fraudulent marriage schemes designed to claim military death benefits.

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

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