Explosions were heard in Kyiv early on Sunday, shortly after authorities warned of an incoming ballistic missile attack, according to سكاي نيوز عربية. The strikes targeted military and industrial facilities in the capital and the port city of Odesa, as reported by العربية.
The overnight assault on Kyiv followed a public alert urging residents to take shelter. Ukrainian officials have not yet released a full damage assessment, but the coordinated nature of the attack points to a deliberate effort to hit key infrastructure, per the reports.
In a parallel development, Ukrainian forces launched a large-scale drone offensive against Russia, with hundreds of unmanned aircraft reported over Moscow. A Spanish fighter jet intercepted and downed a drone that had entered Romanian airspace during the operation, according to مونت كارلو الدولية.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strikes on Russian territory hit a missile center, an oil facility, and an air base, as reported by جريدة الرياض. The attacks also extended to Kryvyi Rih, Zelensky's hometown, which came under Russian fire, according to الشرق الأوسط.
The latest exchanges mark a significant escalation in the conflict, with both sides now targeting strategic assets deep inside each other's territory. The use of hundreds of drones against Moscow represents one of the largest such operations reported in recent months, while Russia's ballistic missile response against Kyiv underscores the heightened stakes.
What to watch next: whether the cross-border strikes prompt further retaliatory measures or any shift in diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict.
