Russia and Ukraine trade deadly overnight drone strikes

Russian drones killed two people at a Ukraine-Moldova border crossing while Ukrainian drones struck the southern Russian city of Novorossiysk, killing four, as both sides intensified long-range attacks despite renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Russian strike hit the Starokozache crossing in Ukraine’s southern Odesa region, about 500 kilometers south of Kyiv. The crossing was closed after the overnight attack, which left several cars scorched and debris scattered across the border post, the BBC reported.

Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper said two civilians were killed and three others were injured near the crossing. Moldova’s foreign ministry said a Moldovan driver was also injured. Ukrainian officials said passenger and vehicle traffic was temporarily halted after the attack caused a large fire.

Zelensky renewed his appeal for international backing after the strike. “The aggression must be stopped here and now before it spreads any further,” he said.

Moldova has increasingly been affected by the war next door. Prime Minister Vasile Tofan said 17 drones had struck Moldovan territory in August alone, more than during all of last year. “Those who ignore or downplay these threats – and refuse to name the aggressor – are denying reality,” he wrote on social media. “Russia started this war. Russia alone bears responsibility.”

Russia also attacked Kyiv overnight, causing fires but no casualties, emergency services said on Telegram, according to Al Jazeera. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported a Russian drone strike on a 16-storey building early Wednesday and said emergency responders were heading to the site.

Russian air strikes also damaged port, transport and civilian infrastructure in the Mykolaiv region, killing one person and injuring several others, a local official said on Telegram, according to Al Jazeera.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had struck a Ukrainian cargo vessel carrying military equipment in the Black Sea on its way to the port of Odesa, as well as a warehouse in Kyiv that it alleged belonged to a company making drones, Russian news agencies reported.

At the same time, Russia said it had shot down 596 Ukrainian drones overnight. The heaviest reported damage was in Novorossiysk, a Black Sea city in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region. Governor Veniamin Kondratyev described the attack as a “massive overnight enemy drone attack” and said four people were killed and 29 injured. Damage was reported to residential buildings, a church and a preschool.

Novorossiysk Mayor Andrei Kravchenko said drone debris fell on business premises and near an inhabited building late Tuesday, according to Al Jazeera.

Ukrainian officials confirmed attacks in the Novorossiysk area. Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, said military vessels at a naval base there were hit overnight. He said missile carriers were among the vessels “lost” at the base, but did not say how many had been struck.

Al Jazeera reported that Novorossiysk, a frequent target of Ukrainian drone strikes, is a major outlet for Russian oil, oil products and grain exports.

The strikes came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with US President Donald Trump about efforts to end the conflict. The Trump administration has been pressing for direct talks between Russia and Ukraine. Kyiv has said they could take place this month, while the Kremlin has said it is too early to discuss a date or venue.

The call followed talks in Moscow between Putin and US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. The envoys later travelled to Kyiv for meetings with Zelensky.