On day 1205 of the war, Russia launched new drone attacks in the regions of Kharkiv and Odesa. 11 drones hit the city of Kharkiv last night, causing dozens of injuries, including four children, and extensive damage.
The southern region of Odesa was also under attack during the night. Russian drones targeted the village of Valcov in the Izmail district, near the border with Romania.
The Dnipropetrovsk region, a frequent target of Russian bombings, was once again hit last night with drone strikes and artillery fire.
On the other hand, today we learn that Russia's losses since the beginning of the war have exceeded one million military personnel, according to the daily updated report from the Ukrainian army.
It was a tumultuous night in Russia as well. Ukrainian drones struck an electronics factory in the Moscow region during the night. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that its forces shot down over 40 drones in the Belgorod, Bryansk, and Crimea regions. Several airports suspended their operations.
The attacks marked Russia's Day, celebrated by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who conveyed a congratulatory message. "The United States supports the aspirations of the Russians towards a brighter future," he stated, a day after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reluctantly acknowledged that Russia is the aggressor in the war against Ukraine.
Also today, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius arrived in Kiev.
Frontline Situation
- Drone Attack in Kharkiv - A Russian drone attack on the city of Kharkiv injured 15 people last night, including at least four children. 11 drones hit the city, and another one fell on the roof of a warehouse without exploding, as reported by Kyiv Independent. "Residential areas, educational institutions, kindergartens, and infrastructure have been affected by the bombings. Dozens of cars were damaged, school and house windows were shattered," detailed Mayor Ihor Terehov on Telegram.
- Attack near Tulcea - A Russian airstrike targeted the southern region of Odesa last night, causing a large fire. The warehouses for reed briquettes and the equipment used for their processing were destroyed. "The flames engulfed buildings and equipment. Two combines and a truck were destroyed," conveyed the Department of Emergency Situations. The fires were extinguished, and no casualties were reported, as stated by a source cited by Ukrainska Pravda. Oleh Kiper, the head of the military administration in the Odesa region, later confirmed that the Russians attacked the Izmail district with drones, targeting particularly the village of Valcov, where several residential buildings were damaged. The attack in Valcov, near Tulcea County, prompted the scrambling of fighter jets in Romania and the issuance of a Ro-Alert message. Details HERE.
- Bombardments in Dnipropetrovsk - The Russians attacked the Dnipropetrovsk region during the night, damaging an office building and a power line and causing a fire on the roof of a nine-story building. The cities of Nikopol, Marhanets, as well as two villages, were hit by drones and artillery fire, resulting in several damaged buildings, announced Serhii Lisak, the head of the regional military administration. No casualties were reported.
- Regions targeted with drones - Russia launched 63 drones last night. The Ukrainian Air Force destroyed 28 drones, and 21 disappeared from radar due to interference, as communicated by the Ukrainian Air Force. Most were shot down in the Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Odesa regions. Enemy drones hit in seven locations, and remnants of the downed targets fell in four places.
- Record losses for Moscow - Russia lost 1,140 soldiers killed and wounded in the last 24 hours of war alone, bringing the total casualties to over one million, according to the updated report this morning by the Ukrainian army's General Staff.
What's Happening in Russia
- Explosions at an electronics factory - Ukrainian drones struck the Rezonit Technopark electronics factory in the Moscow region during the night, as announced by the Kiev General Staff. Multiple explosions occurred in the factory, according to the source cited by Kyiv Independent. The operation aimed to reduce Russia's capacity to produce weapons and high-tech equipment. The targeted unit assembles circuit boards and other electronic components for the Russian military complex and is "an interesting target," transmitted the Ukrainian army this morning.
- Over 40 drones destroyed - The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that its forces shot down 44 drones from 9:00 p.m. to midnight local time. The Russian air defense downed 38 drones over the Belgorod region, four over Bryansk, and two over Crimea.
- Airports closed - Russian airports Kaluga, Vnukovo, and Sheremetyevo suspended their operations last night, according to the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency. The institution cited by the Russian press did not provide the reason for the closure. Operations at these airports resumed around 3:00 a.m., Kiev time, reported Ukrainska Pravda.
Other Relevant Information
- Rubio congratulates Russia - The United States supports the aspirations of the Russians towards a brighter future, declared Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Russia Day, which marks the declaration of sovereignty in 1990, over a year before the collapse of the Soviet Union. "We take this opportunity to reaffirm the United States' desire to engage constructively with the Russian Federation to establish lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine. We hope that peace will foster more beneficial relations for both our countries," added Rubio.
- Pentagon Chief admits Putin is the aggressor - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged on Wednesday that Russia is the aggressor in the war against Ukraine, although he refused to say that it is in America's interest for Moscow to lose and Ukraine to win, as reported by Kyiv Post. Hegseth, appearing before the Senate Subcommittee on Defense Funding, was questioned about the Trump administration's efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Republican Senator Mitch McConnell led the criticism against the administration, emphasizing that America's reputation is at stake. "Will we defend democratic allies against authoritarian aggressors?" McConnell asked Hegseth, adding, "Who is the aggressor and who is the victim in the conflict?" Hegseth, who had been criticized for evading similar questions in the past, responded, "Russia is the aggressor." However, he refrained from stating that Ukraine is a victim of the war.
- Ukrainian soldiers accuse America of betrayal - A potential reduction in military aid from the U.S. would be "painful" and could have "serious consequences" for global order, said Ukrainian parliamentarians and soldiers to Kyiv Independent. Ukrainian soldiers interviewed criticized Washington's recent decisions but said they were not surprised. Details HERE.
- Pistorius in Kiev - German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius arrived in Kiev to meet with Ukrainian leaders and discuss future defense support for Ukraine. "We are doing everything we can to support Ukraine so that it can defend itself and reach a position where Russia is ready to engage in serious negotiations," he stated before departure, according to Reuters. This is Pistorius's first official trip to Ukraine as minister in Chancellor Friedrich Merz's new government.
- The message of the Odesa Summit - Several leaders from Southeast Europe, including the President of Romania Nicușor Dan, on Wednesday condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the conclusion of the fourth Ukraine - Southeast Europe Summit held in Odesa. The statement was signed by Nicușor Dan, as well as by the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, the Prime Ministers of Bulgaria, Croatia, and Greece, and representatives from other Balkan countries. The document was not signed by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. The signatories of the statement reiterated their "commitment to provide comprehensive and sustainable support to Ukraine and its people for as long as necessary" and called on "all nations to refrain from providing any form of material or other assistance to Russia's war effort." The text of the statement calls for the "complete withdrawal of Russian forces and equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine" as "essential and non-negotiable conditions for peace." The signatory countries support "Ukraine on its irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, including NATO membership," and call for strengthening sanctions against Moscow.
- Kim plays into Putin's hands - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un described the relationship between his country and Russia as "an alliance and a model of indestructible and authentic relationship between arms comrades" in a message sent to President Putin on the occasion of Russia Day. "The traditional friendship between North Korea and Russia has been further strengthened by the militant comradeship that the troops of both countries have forged with their blood in the just and sacred war to defend Russia's sovereignty and territorial integrity," said Kim, in the message broadcast by the state news agency KCNA.