14 killed in exchanges of attacks between Russia and Ukraine

Ukraine attacked multiple regions across Russia on Sunday, killing at least nine people, according to authorities. Simultaneously, Russian attacks claimed the lives of at least five individuals in Ukraine, as reported by officials from both nations. Some of the bombardments struck areas hundreds of kilometers from the established front lines.

This escalation follows months of increased mutual attacks between Russia and Ukraine, occurring against a backdrop of completely stalled peace talks mediated by the United States since the conflict began in February 2022. Civilian casualties in Ukraine have significantly increased this year, attributed to Russia's deployment of long-range missiles that are difficult to intercept, according to United Nations data.

In retaliation, Kyiv has launched waves of attacks targeting Russian infrastructure, including energy facilities and fuel depots, in an effort to pressure Moscow to end its offensive. The governor of Russia's Belgorod region, bordering Ukraine, reported that at least four people died from a Ukrainian shelling attack, including a 13-year-old girl near a playground. Regional authorities also reported that drone attacks in the Saratov region killed two more people, while another drone attack in the Udmurtia region resulted in three deaths. In Ukraine, Russian attacks killed two people in the Dnipro region, at least one in Zaporizhzhia, and another in Kherson. The postal operator Nova Poshta reported that a Russian attack destroyed a postal terminal in the Kharkiv region, killing a postal worker. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated it intercepted 635 drones launched against more than a dozen regions overnight. Both Moscow and Kyiv deny targeting civilians.