Russia strikes military, energy sites in Ukraine

According to Ukrainian officials, Russia has carried out a sixth consecutive day of aerial assaults on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, resulting in at least 12 deaths across the region. The relentless attacks, which lasted for a staggering 12 hours, were aimed at disheartening civilians by disrupting daily life in the city. The strikes, which targeted Kyiv and eight other regions, involved cruise and ballistic missiles, jet-powered drones, glide bombs and artillery salvos.

Among the casualties were three children, just as millions of Ukrainian schoolchildren returned to school for the new academic year. The European Union's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, stated that Russia's army is struggling to make progress on the front line and is using its air campaign to intimidate Ukraine's Western supporters. Russia's war is becoming increasingly ruthless and destructive, but it is not closer to ending, she added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that the dead included an Indian citizen. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have carried out a massive strike on Ukraine using precision-guided weapons and long-range drones, targeting facilities that manufacture and store weapons, as well as military-related infrastructure.

Ukrainian officials reported that about a third of the drones used in the attack were jet-powered, making them more difficult to intercept. The Russian forces also shelled the northern Zhytomyr region, causing fires at an industrial facility and a warehouse. Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that its air defenses intercepted 516 Ukrainian drones over 18 Russian regions, including the Crimean Peninsula and the Black Sea.

In light of the ongoing attacks, the Russian Defense Ministry urged efforts to move from endless war to the end of war.