Five dead in new Russia, Ukraine strikes

Overnight on Saturday and Sunday, Russian strikes killed two individuals and injured dozens in Ukraine, while a Ukrainian drone attack claimed three lives in Russia's Belgorod region, according to reports. The Russian offensive, now in its fourth and a half year, has led to a surge in long-range strikes, resulting in a growing number of civilian casualties.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed concern on social media, stating that 61 missiles of various types had been fired at Ukraine this week. He called for more pressure, sanctions against Russia, and additional air defense systems for Ukraine. In Kharkiv, two people were killed and 23 others injured when a Russian drone strike destroyed four floors of a residential building, as reported by Governor Oleg Synegoubov.

Images showed a severely damaged structure with emergency responders on-site. Zelensky also condemned a Ukrainian drone attack near a shopping center in Pavlohrad, Dnipropetrovsk region, which injured nine people, including four children. The conflict, which began four and a half years ago, has resulted in an alarming rise in civilian casualties, with the United Nations noting that 2022 has been particularly devastating for civilians in the war-torn region.