
Ten killed as Russia strikes Ukrainian cities in latest wave of drone and missile attacks
MOSCOW — At least 10 people were killed and more than 50 injured after Russia launched another wave of missile and drone attacks across Ukraine over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian officials and media reports said on Friday.
The deadliest strike occurred in the city of Samar, located in the central Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, where a missile attack killed five people and left at least 25 others wounded.
In the southern port city of Odesa, a Russian drone hit a 21-story residential building, killing a married couple and triggering a major fire that engulfed three floors. Fourteen people were injured in the blaze, including three children, as emergency crews worked through the night to extinguish the flames.
Additional fatalities were reported in eastern and southern regions. Two people were killed in Donetsk Oblast and one in the Kherson region, according to local authorities. Civilian injuries were also reported in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Sumy oblasts.
Ukraine's Air Force confirmed that Russian forces launched 23 Shahed drones overnight between June 27 and 28. Air defense systems reportedly intercepted and downed 22 of them.
The strikes are part of an escalating Russian aerial campaign targeting Ukrainian cities throughout May and June, inflicting heavy civilian casualties and infrastructure damage. — Agencies

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Saudi Gazette
7 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Ten killed as Russia strikes Ukrainian cities in latest wave of drone and missile attacks
MOSCOW — At least 10 people were killed and more than 50 injured after Russia launched another wave of missile and drone attacks across Ukraine over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian officials and media reports said on Friday. The deadliest strike occurred in the city of Samar, located in the central Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, where a missile attack killed five people and left at least 25 others wounded. In the southern port city of Odesa, a Russian drone hit a 21-story residential building, killing a married couple and triggering a major fire that engulfed three floors. Fourteen people were injured in the blaze, including three children, as emergency crews worked through the night to extinguish the flames. Additional fatalities were reported in eastern and southern regions. Two people were killed in Donetsk Oblast and one in the Kherson region, according to local authorities. Civilian injuries were also reported in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Sumy oblasts. Ukraine's Air Force confirmed that Russian forces launched 23 Shahed drones overnight between June 27 and 28. Air defense systems reportedly intercepted and downed 22 of them. The strikes are part of an escalating Russian aerial campaign targeting Ukrainian cities throughout May and June, inflicting heavy civilian casualties and infrastructure damage. — Agencies


Saudi Gazette
2 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
Crush kills 29 pupils taking exams after blast in Central Africa
BANGUI — Twenty-nine children who were taking their school exams in the Central African Republic have been killed in a crush after a nearby explosion caused panic, a hospital director told the BBC. The blast, on the second day of the high-school finals on Wednesday, occurred at an electricity transformer, said Abel Assaye from the Bangui community hospital. "The noise of the explosion, combined with smoke" caused alarm among the almost 6,000 students sitting the baccalaureate at a school in the capital, Bangui, local radio station Ndeke Luka reported. President Faustin-Archange Touadéra has declared a period of national mourning. He also ordered that the more than 280 who were wounded in the crush get free treatment in hospital. Students from five different schools in the capital had gone to the Lycée Barthélémy Boganda to sit the baccalaureate exam. The education ministry said the explosion happened after power was restored at the electricity transformer, located on the ground floor of the main building, that had been undergoing repairs. "I also offer our sincere condolences to the parents of the affected candidates and wish a speedy recovery to the injured candidates," Education Minister Aurelien-Simplice Kongbelet-Zimgas said in a statement. He also announced the suspension of further exams. A female survivor spoke to the BBC. "I don't even remember what happened. We were in the exam room and when I heard a noise, I immediately fell into a daze," she said. "Since then, I have had a pain in my pelvis that is causing me a lot of problems." Radio France Internationale spoke to another student whose face was covered in blood after he had climbed out of a window. Magloire explained that the blast happened during the history and geography exam. "The students wanted to save their lives, and as they fled, they saw death because there were so many people and the door was really small. Not everyone could get out," he told RFI. The CAR continues to face political instability and security challenges. Government forces, backed by Russian mercenaries, are battling armed groups threatening to overthrow Touadéra's administration. — BBC


Saudi Gazette
2 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
Slovaks veto Russia sanctions at EU Council
BRUSSELS — Thursday's EU Council summit suffered a huge setback after Robert Fico, Slovakia's prime minister, announced he would maintain his veto on the next round of sanctions against Russia, which diplomats hoped to approve on Friday. Fico's opposition involves a separate matter: the European Commission's proposed phase-out of Russian fossil fuels, including oil and gas, which Slovakia, as well as Hungary, continues to be dependent on. Fico met with Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday morning to discuss his reservations, including his fear that Gazprom, Russia's gas monopoly, would file a billion-euro lawsuit if his country breaks up its long-term gas contract. The Commission, however, says the proposed bans would act as "force majeure" to avoid damages in court. But Fico did not seem convinced. "Therefore, this issue must be resolved first: let's define the solution, and only then can we discuss further sanctions packages," Fico said in a video message posted on his Facebook account shortly after 18.00 CET. "If our proposal to postpone the vote is not accommodated, the Slovak ambassador will receive a clear instruction to veto the adoption of the 18th sanctions package." Meanwhile, the 27 leaders agreed to disagree on what to do next with the review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which found "indications" that Israel had breached its human rights obligations with its actions in Gaza and the West Bank. The highly anticipated review was requested in May by a group of 17 countries. Thursday's summit was the first time that leaders discussed the findings face-to-face. But sharp divisions in the room, from Spain to Germany, prevented any specific outcome. Instead, leaders asked their foreign ministers to continue the internal process "as appropriate" when they meet in Brussels on 15 July. During that meeting, High Representative Kaja Kallas is expected to present potential follow-up options, even if none of them are likely to gather the necessary qualified majority to move forward. Exasperation is growing: Slovenia's prime minister raised the prospect of forming a coalition of the willing to put "real pressure" on Israel if the bloc failed to act as one. — Euronews