Ukrainian drone hits Russian beach town as Moscow, Kyiv trade deadly strikes

Russian planes unleashed eight powerful glide bombs on residential areas of Zaporizhzhia, killing one person and injuring dozens, according to regional chief Ivan Fedorov. The Soviet-era bombs, retrofitted with guidance systems, can carry up to 3,000 kilograms of explosives and leave massive craters, against which Ukraine has no effective countermeasures.

Meanwhile, six people died and 40 were injured by falling Ukrainian drone debris in Arkhipo-Osipovka, a town on Russia's Black Sea coast, said regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev. Three more people were killed and two injured in Ukraine's overnight attack on the illegally annexed Crimea, according to its Russian-installed head, Sergei Aksyonov.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine's development of long-range strike drones has led to military cooperation agreements with nine countries, providing long-term funding for Ukraine's defense industry and new capabilities for partner nations. Agreements with 15 more countries are under negotiation. Zelenskyy aims to use these drones to strike deep inside Russia, compelling President Vladimir Putin to seek a peace settlement, with a goal to achieve this by fall. He also called for tighter international sanctions on Moscow to prevent Russian companies from exploiting loopholes.

Zelenskyy announced the appointment of Rustem Umerov, who has been involved in U.S. diplomatic efforts, as the new head of the Foreign Intelligence Service. The city of Zaporizhzhia remains under Ukrainian control, despite Russia's annexation of the region and its control of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

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We will work very hard to make that happen this fall.