Russian drones slam a southern Ukraine city after Kyiv’s 1,000-drone weekend barrage

Russian drones attacked Ukraine's southern city of Zaporizhzhia on Sunday, a day after Kyiv's forces launched an unprecedented drone assault targeting Russia, officials reported on Monday. The relentless daily strikes accentuate the lack of significant diplomatic progress to end the four-year-long conflict, as world leaders convene at the UN General Assembly this week.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expects to meet with US President Donald Trump at the event in New York, while Russian President Vladimir Putin is notably absent.

The Russian bombardment of Zaporizhzhia targeted apartment buildings, a university, and a shopping mall, causing injuries to five people. Additionally, Russia struck nine other regions of Ukraine, including logistics hubs, warehouses, and ports, according to the Russian Defence Ministry. The attacks followed Ukraine's massive drone swarm launched from Saturday to Sunday, including hundreds aimed at Moscow, during the third and final day of a strategically planned parliamentary election.

Despite the ongoing drone attacks, no significant progress has been made in diplomatic efforts to halt the fighting. European leaders, concerned about Moscow's alleged intentions, are seeking to apply additional pressure on Putin to withdraw from Ukraine. However, the Russian leader has shown no signs of readiness to relinquish his objectives.

Russian military sources claim they downed 244 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions and the Black Sea overnight. Meanwhile, Ukraine's air force reported shooting down or suppressing 148 Russian drones in an overnight attack. Moldova's Ministry of Defence reported a drone incursion into its airspace, leading to the temporary closure of part of the country's airspace in the north due to potential threats.

During the aerial barrages, drones have repeatedly strayed into neighboring countries, causing concern among leaders who fear being drawn into the conflict. Moldova's pro-Western President Maia Sandu has repeatedly condemned Russia's war on Ukraine, emphasizing that the brutal conflict is nearing her nation's border following recent attacks along Moldova's frontier with Ukraine.