KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia's continuous bombardment of targets in Ukraine has resulted in at least seven fatalities and over 80 injuries, according to officials on Monday. The attacks targeted various locations including apartment buildings, offices, gas stations, data centers, and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in downtown Kyiv. These drone strikes are part of a strategy to undermine Ukraine's resistance and disrupt its economy.
The assaults occurred following a week of diplomatic discussions at the United Nations aimed at negotiating an end to Russia's invasion, which began over four years ago. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the prospects for a swift peace settlement appear dim due to recent Ukrainian military actions, including during recent parliamentary elections in Russia. "Ukraine will have to pay a price for the actions that have taken place in recent months," Peskov remarked.
In the Kyiv region, Russian drone strikes resulted in four deaths and eight injuries. One strike in the Shevchenkivskyi district of Kyiv killed a woman and damaged the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Reports indicate that some staff members escaped the burning building via firefighters' ladders.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko described the ongoing attacks as a campaign of "pure terror" against civilians, stating, "The terror goes on."
In addition to the attacks in Kyiv, a drone strike on an office center in Dnipro killed three individuals and injured at least 18. In Kharkiv, a strike on a nine-story apartment building resulted in 43 injuries, including 11 children. Other strikes in Zaporizhzhia and Odesa also caused civilian injuries and damage to residential buildings.
Russia's Defense Ministry reported that its forces targeted two data centers in Kyiv and gas stations in the capital. Additionally, a distribution hub for the Nova Poshta postal service was struck in Odesa. The ministry also claimed to have hit a cargo ship in the Black Sea and another in the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk, aiming to limit Ukraine's grain exports.
Despite these attacks, battlefield positions have seen little change since last year, although Ukraine's forces have launched an offensive, Operation Vivaldi, along the 1,250-kilometer (800-mile) front line. The Third Army Corps reported recapturing 51 square kilometers (20 square miles) from Russian forces, totaling 176 square kilometers (68 square miles) since the offensive began.
To breach Russian defenses, the corps has repurposed Soviet-era BTR-60 armored personnel carriers into explosive vehicles targeting Russian fortifications. The operation has also employed ground robots for attacks.
In response to Ukrainian claims, Russian officials reported capturing villages in the Donetsk and Sumy regions. However, independent verification of these claims is not possible.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that long-range strikes on Russian territory targeted defense plants and oil facilities. Ukrainian drone attacks have also ignited fires at infrastructure facilities in Russia's Krasnodar region. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that air defenses intercepted 254 Ukrainian drones overnight.