Overview
- Ukraine mounted one of its biggest deep‑strike drone raids over the weekend, breaching Moscow’s defenses to hit an oil refinery, two pumping stations, and the Angstrem microelectronics plant, with Russian officials reporting three deaths and at least a dozen injuries.
- Russia answered with a large overnight assault Monday using 524 attack drones and 22 missiles that struck eight Ukrainian regions, with Dnipro hardest hit and officials reporting dozens of civilians injured, including children.
- The Defense Ministry in Moscow began three days of nationwide nuclear exercises Tuesday, framing the drills as practice for using nuclear forces during a severe threat.
- Both sides reported heavy air‑defense activity, with Ukraine’s Air Force saying it neutralized 180 of 209 drones since Monday evening and Russia claiming hundreds of Ukrainian drones downed overnight, highlighting contested tallies and stressed defenses.
- The cross‑border strikes disrupted daily life and trade as drone debris reached Sheremetyevo Airport, causing flight delays, and a Chinese‑owned cargo ship near Odesa was hit by a Russian drone that sparked a fire but caused no serious injuries.