KYIV, Ukraine – Russian and Ukrainian attacks killed at least 15 people on Saturday, according to officials on both sides, as the war continued with strikes targeting civilian areas, energy infrastructure and locations deep inside Russian territory, highlighting the challenges facing any renewed diplomatic efforts.
Moscow-installed authorities in the partly occupied Zaporizhzhia region said Ukrainian strikes on holiday camps killed 12 people, including four children. Ukrainian officials said a separate Russian drone strike in the northeastern Sumy region killed three people.
The latest attacks followed a large-scale Russian strike near Kyiv on Friday that Ukrainian authorities said killed at least 10 people and injured about 100 others.
Officials Offer Conflicting Accounts of Latest Attacks
Yevgeny Balitsky, the Kremlin-appointed head of the Russian-occupied portion of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, said Ukrainian attacks on resort areas killed 12 people and injured 19 others.
Ukrainian authorities did not immediately comment on the reported strike or the casualty figures.
In Ukraine’s Sumy region, Governor Oleh Hryhorov said a Russian drone struck a civilian facility operated by the private postal and courier company Nova Poshta, sparking a large fire that killed three drivers.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said the target was a Ukrainian drone storage and launch site.
The competing accounts could not be independently verified.
Separately, Zaporizhzhia regional Governor Ivan Fedorov said a Russian drone struck a shopping center in southeastern Ukraine late Friday, causing a fire that spread across approximately 500 square meters and injured several people.
Ukraine Continues Long-Range Strikes Inside Russia
Ukraine continued its campaign targeting Russian energy and logistics infrastructure.
Tyumen regional Governor Aleksandr Moor said a Ukrainian drone attack caused a fire at the Tyumen Oil Refinery in western Siberia.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later confirmed strikes on the refinery, along with attacks on a logistics facility in Yekaterinburg and a fuel and lubricants warehouse in Rostov-on-Don.
Ukraine has increasingly employed long-range drones to target strategic infrastructure inside Russia, including oil facilities and logistics hubs, as part of its effort to disrupt military supply chains.
Zelenskyy also said Ukrainian intelligence indicated Russia could be preparing another large-scale missile attack within the next 48 hours. Russia had not publicly commented on the assessment.
Diplomatic Contacts Continue Amid Ongoing Fighting
Diplomatic efforts continued despite the escalating military exchanges.
A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity because President Donald Trump’s schedule had not yet been officially released, said Trump and Zelenskyy are expected to meet in Washington on Tuesday.
Ukrainian officials did not immediately confirm the meeting. However, Zelenskyy said in his Friday evening address that Kyiv was preparing for discussions with the U.S. president and his team.
The expected meeting coincides with a memorial service in Washington for former U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a longtime supporter of Ukraine.
Despite continued diplomatic engagement, the exchange of strikes has underscored the difficulty of achieving a negotiated settlement to the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Drone Incursions Raise Concerns Along NATO’s Eastern Flank
Romania’s Ministry of National Defence said its armed forces shot down a drone that entered Romanian airspace over an unpopulated area near the Ukrainian border.
President Nicușor Dan said an F-16 fighter intercepted the drone.
It was the second reported drone interception over Romania in two days after another drone was shot down near Padina, northeast of Bucharest, on Friday.
Romania, a NATO member that borders Ukraine, has experienced multiple incidents involving drones linked to the war since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Romanian authorities have previously reported drone debris and accidental impacts near the border, highlighting the continuing risk that the conflict could spill into neighboring alliance territory.
As both sides continue long-range attacks and military operations across multiple fronts, diplomatic efforts remain uncertain amid ongoing battlefield escalation.
This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press.
