Russia blasts southern Ukrainian city with glide bombs while Ukrainian drones kill 9

Russian forces launched a barrage of glide bombs on the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia over the weekend, striking residential areas and causing casualties, while Ukrainian drones reportedly killed nine people in a Russian coastal town, officials said Monday. The attacks occurred amid ongoing tensions on both sides of the conflict, with each accusing the other of escalating violence. In Zaporizhzhia, regional administrator Ivan Fedorov confirmed that Russian aircraft deployed eight glide bombs within a 90-minute window, targeting residential neighborhoods. The assault left one person dead and injured dozens, according to local authorities. The bombs, which are Soviet-era weapons retrofitted with modern guidance systems, are capable of carrying up to 3,000 kilograms of explosives and have been used extensively by Russian forces throughout the war. The attack damaged 22 apartment buildings across four districts, with a 71-year-old woman among the fatalities and a 16-year-old girl among the wounded. Separately, in the Russian region of Krasnodar, Governor Veniamin Kondratyev reported that six individuals had died and 40 others were injured after Ukrainian drones struck the small town of Arkhipo-Osipovka. Debris from the drones reportedly caused the casualties. In the annexed Crimean region, Russian-installed leader Sergei Aksyonov stated that three additional people were killed and two injured in an overnight Ukrainian attack, though he did not provide further details. Neither side’s claims could be independently verified. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the role of Ukraine’s long-range drone technology in recent military operations, stating that Kyiv had signed defense cooperation agreements with nine countries. These partnerships involve long-term financial support for Ukraine’s defense industry and the provision of advanced military capabilities to allied nations. Zelenskyy added that negotiations were underway with 15 additional countries. He emphasized that the use of these drones, which have allowed Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory, was aimed at pressuring President Vladimir Putin to seek a peace agreement by autumn. Zelenskyy also called for stronger international sanctions against Russia, noting that current measures lacked sufficient rigor to prevent Russian entities from exploiting legal loopholes. Additionally, he announced the appointment of Rustem Umerov, a figure involved in U.S. diplomatic efforts to end the war, as head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service. The Sunday night attack on Zaporizhzhia marked the latest in a series of strikes involving glide bombs, which have become a staple of Russian military strategy since the invasion began over four years ago. Despite holding parts of the Zaporizhzhia region, including the nuclear power plant, Russian forces have yet to fully capture the city, which remains under Ukrainian control. Zaporizhzhia is one of four regions, Donetsk, Kherson, and Luhansk, that Russia illegally annexed in September 2022, despite lacking complete control over them. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy reiterated his call for more U.S.-made Patriot anti-missile systems, arguing that such systems are essential to defend against Russian ballistic missiles. However, supplies remain limited due to the ongoing conflict with Iran. Zelenskyy criticized the lack of available interceptors, urging Western allies to prioritize their deployment over storage. U.S. President Donald Trump recently expressed uncertainty regarding his previous pledge to grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot systems. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy proposed an alternative solution involving the use of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network to track and target Russian missile launches. While no official confirmation of this proposal has been given, it reflects growing interest in leveraging private sector technologies for military purposes. According to the Ukrainian air force, Russian forces launched 181 long-range strike drones during the overnight period ending Monday. Air defenses managed to intercept 163 of these drones, but 14 caused damage at 13 different locations. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its forces targeted four bulk carriers transporting goods for the Ukrainian military, including three in the Black Sea and one in the port of Mykolaiv, although no further details were provided.