Latest news with #Russians
The Advertiser
4 hours ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Seven killed in Ukraine, Putin to cut military spending
Russian missile attacks have killed at least seven people and wounded more than 20 in southern Ukraine, officials say. Five people were killed in the industrial city of Samar in Ukraine's southeast, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said on the Telegram app. Officials gave no immediate details on damage in the city, where an attack on an unidentified infrastructure facility on Tuesday killed two people. In the port city of Odessa, Russian combat drones killed at least two people and wounded six overnight, military administrator Oleh Kiper said. One drone struck the upper floors of a 21-storey residential building, causing a fire. After extinguishing the blaze, rescuers discovered the bodies of a married couple in the rubble, Kiper reported. There were several explosions in the city and fires broke out in several districts, Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said. Hundreds of kilometres to the south, in the Kherson region, authorities urged residents to prepare for extended periods without power after a Russian attack hit a key energy facility. Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram that "Russians decided to plunge the region into darkness". In recent weeks Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian cities, particularly its capital Kyiv, more than three years into the war that followed its full-scale invasion. Separately, President Vladimir Putin announced Russia was looking to cut its military expenditure from next year, contrasting that with NATO's plan to ramp up defence spending over the next decade. NATO allies on Wednesday agreed to raise their collective spending goal to five per cent of gross domestic product in the next 10 years, citing what they called the long-term threat posed by Russia and the need to strengthen civil and military resilience. Putin told a press conference in Minsk the NATO spending would go on "purchases from the USA and on supporting their military-industrial complex", and this was NATO's business, not Russia's. "But now here is the most important thing. We are planning to reduce defence spending. For us, next year and the year after, over the next three-year period, we are planning for this," he said. Putin said there was no final agreement yet between the defence, finance and economy ministries, "but overall, everyone is thinking in this direction. And Europe is thinking about how to increase its spending, on the contrary. So who is preparing for some kind of aggressive actions? Us or them?" Putin's comments are likely to be greeted with extreme scepticism in the West, given that Russia has massively increased defence spending since the start of the Ukraine war. The conflict shows no sign of ending and has actually intensified in recent weeks, as negotiations have made no visible progress towards a ceasefire or a permanent settlement. Putin said Russia appreciated efforts by US President Donald Trump to bring an end to the war. "He recently stated that it turned out to be more difficult than it seemed from the outside. Well, that's true," Putin said. Trump said this week that he believed Putin wanted to find a way to settle the conflict, but Ukraine and many of its European allies believe the Kremlin leader has no real interest in a peace deal and is intent on capturing more territory. Putin said Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were in constant contact, and Moscow was ready to return the bodies of 3000 more Ukrainian soldiers. Russia is seeing a sharp slowdown in economic growth as the budget comes under pressure from falling energy revenues and the central bank is trying to bring down inflation. with AP and DPA Russian missile attacks have killed at least seven people and wounded more than 20 in southern Ukraine, officials say. Five people were killed in the industrial city of Samar in Ukraine's southeast, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said on the Telegram app. Officials gave no immediate details on damage in the city, where an attack on an unidentified infrastructure facility on Tuesday killed two people. In the port city of Odessa, Russian combat drones killed at least two people and wounded six overnight, military administrator Oleh Kiper said. One drone struck the upper floors of a 21-storey residential building, causing a fire. After extinguishing the blaze, rescuers discovered the bodies of a married couple in the rubble, Kiper reported. There were several explosions in the city and fires broke out in several districts, Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said. Hundreds of kilometres to the south, in the Kherson region, authorities urged residents to prepare for extended periods without power after a Russian attack hit a key energy facility. Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram that "Russians decided to plunge the region into darkness". In recent weeks Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian cities, particularly its capital Kyiv, more than three years into the war that followed its full-scale invasion. Separately, President Vladimir Putin announced Russia was looking to cut its military expenditure from next year, contrasting that with NATO's plan to ramp up defence spending over the next decade. NATO allies on Wednesday agreed to raise their collective spending goal to five per cent of gross domestic product in the next 10 years, citing what they called the long-term threat posed by Russia and the need to strengthen civil and military resilience. Putin told a press conference in Minsk the NATO spending would go on "purchases from the USA and on supporting their military-industrial complex", and this was NATO's business, not Russia's. "But now here is the most important thing. We are planning to reduce defence spending. For us, next year and the year after, over the next three-year period, we are planning for this," he said. Putin said there was no final agreement yet between the defence, finance and economy ministries, "but overall, everyone is thinking in this direction. And Europe is thinking about how to increase its spending, on the contrary. So who is preparing for some kind of aggressive actions? Us or them?" Putin's comments are likely to be greeted with extreme scepticism in the West, given that Russia has massively increased defence spending since the start of the Ukraine war. The conflict shows no sign of ending and has actually intensified in recent weeks, as negotiations have made no visible progress towards a ceasefire or a permanent settlement. Putin said Russia appreciated efforts by US President Donald Trump to bring an end to the war. "He recently stated that it turned out to be more difficult than it seemed from the outside. Well, that's true," Putin said. Trump said this week that he believed Putin wanted to find a way to settle the conflict, but Ukraine and many of its European allies believe the Kremlin leader has no real interest in a peace deal and is intent on capturing more territory. Putin said Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were in constant contact, and Moscow was ready to return the bodies of 3000 more Ukrainian soldiers. Russia is seeing a sharp slowdown in economic growth as the budget comes under pressure from falling energy revenues and the central bank is trying to bring down inflation. with AP and DPA Russian missile attacks have killed at least seven people and wounded more than 20 in southern Ukraine, officials say. Five people were killed in the industrial city of Samar in Ukraine's southeast, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said on the Telegram app. Officials gave no immediate details on damage in the city, where an attack on an unidentified infrastructure facility on Tuesday killed two people. In the port city of Odessa, Russian combat drones killed at least two people and wounded six overnight, military administrator Oleh Kiper said. One drone struck the upper floors of a 21-storey residential building, causing a fire. After extinguishing the blaze, rescuers discovered the bodies of a married couple in the rubble, Kiper reported. There were several explosions in the city and fires broke out in several districts, Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said. Hundreds of kilometres to the south, in the Kherson region, authorities urged residents to prepare for extended periods without power after a Russian attack hit a key energy facility. Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram that "Russians decided to plunge the region into darkness". In recent weeks Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian cities, particularly its capital Kyiv, more than three years into the war that followed its full-scale invasion. Separately, President Vladimir Putin announced Russia was looking to cut its military expenditure from next year, contrasting that with NATO's plan to ramp up defence spending over the next decade. NATO allies on Wednesday agreed to raise their collective spending goal to five per cent of gross domestic product in the next 10 years, citing what they called the long-term threat posed by Russia and the need to strengthen civil and military resilience. Putin told a press conference in Minsk the NATO spending would go on "purchases from the USA and on supporting their military-industrial complex", and this was NATO's business, not Russia's. "But now here is the most important thing. We are planning to reduce defence spending. For us, next year and the year after, over the next three-year period, we are planning for this," he said. Putin said there was no final agreement yet between the defence, finance and economy ministries, "but overall, everyone is thinking in this direction. And Europe is thinking about how to increase its spending, on the contrary. So who is preparing for some kind of aggressive actions? Us or them?" Putin's comments are likely to be greeted with extreme scepticism in the West, given that Russia has massively increased defence spending since the start of the Ukraine war. The conflict shows no sign of ending and has actually intensified in recent weeks, as negotiations have made no visible progress towards a ceasefire or a permanent settlement. Putin said Russia appreciated efforts by US President Donald Trump to bring an end to the war. "He recently stated that it turned out to be more difficult than it seemed from the outside. Well, that's true," Putin said. Trump said this week that he believed Putin wanted to find a way to settle the conflict, but Ukraine and many of its European allies believe the Kremlin leader has no real interest in a peace deal and is intent on capturing more territory. Putin said Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were in constant contact, and Moscow was ready to return the bodies of 3000 more Ukrainian soldiers. Russia is seeing a sharp slowdown in economic growth as the budget comes under pressure from falling energy revenues and the central bank is trying to bring down inflation. with AP and DPA Russian missile attacks have killed at least seven people and wounded more than 20 in southern Ukraine, officials say. Five people were killed in the industrial city of Samar in Ukraine's southeast, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said on the Telegram app. Officials gave no immediate details on damage in the city, where an attack on an unidentified infrastructure facility on Tuesday killed two people. In the port city of Odessa, Russian combat drones killed at least two people and wounded six overnight, military administrator Oleh Kiper said. One drone struck the upper floors of a 21-storey residential building, causing a fire. After extinguishing the blaze, rescuers discovered the bodies of a married couple in the rubble, Kiper reported. There were several explosions in the city and fires broke out in several districts, Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said. Hundreds of kilometres to the south, in the Kherson region, authorities urged residents to prepare for extended periods without power after a Russian attack hit a key energy facility. Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram that "Russians decided to plunge the region into darkness". In recent weeks Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian cities, particularly its capital Kyiv, more than three years into the war that followed its full-scale invasion. Separately, President Vladimir Putin announced Russia was looking to cut its military expenditure from next year, contrasting that with NATO's plan to ramp up defence spending over the next decade. NATO allies on Wednesday agreed to raise their collective spending goal to five per cent of gross domestic product in the next 10 years, citing what they called the long-term threat posed by Russia and the need to strengthen civil and military resilience. Putin told a press conference in Minsk the NATO spending would go on "purchases from the USA and on supporting their military-industrial complex", and this was NATO's business, not Russia's. "But now here is the most important thing. We are planning to reduce defence spending. For us, next year and the year after, over the next three-year period, we are planning for this," he said. Putin said there was no final agreement yet between the defence, finance and economy ministries, "but overall, everyone is thinking in this direction. And Europe is thinking about how to increase its spending, on the contrary. So who is preparing for some kind of aggressive actions? Us or them?" Putin's comments are likely to be greeted with extreme scepticism in the West, given that Russia has massively increased defence spending since the start of the Ukraine war. The conflict shows no sign of ending and has actually intensified in recent weeks, as negotiations have made no visible progress towards a ceasefire or a permanent settlement. Putin said Russia appreciated efforts by US President Donald Trump to bring an end to the war. "He recently stated that it turned out to be more difficult than it seemed from the outside. Well, that's true," Putin said. Trump said this week that he believed Putin wanted to find a way to settle the conflict, but Ukraine and many of its European allies believe the Kremlin leader has no real interest in a peace deal and is intent on capturing more territory. Putin said Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were in constant contact, and Moscow was ready to return the bodies of 3000 more Ukrainian soldiers. Russia is seeing a sharp slowdown in economic growth as the budget comes under pressure from falling energy revenues and the central bank is trying to bring down inflation. with AP and DPA
Scottish Sun
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Reckless pro-Palestine protesters break into warehouse and damage nearly £1m of military equipment destined for UKRAINE
The firm's CEO said they hadn't supplied Israel in over two decades PUTIN'S USEFUL IDIOTS Reckless pro-Palestine protesters break into warehouse and damage nearly £1m of military equipment destined for UKRAINE Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A SWARM of pro-Palestinian protesters caused nearly £1million worth of damage to military equipment which had been earmarked for Ukraine. Some 150 dim-witted activists wielding hammers and spray paint went on a warehouse rampage - reportedly causing severe damage to several tanks. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 CEO of OIP Land Systems Freddy Versluys said the vandals caused severe damage to the tanks at his warehouse (pictured) Credit: Reuters 4 Pro-Palestine protesters smashed up computers and damaged the facility (stock) Credit: Reuters 4 The firm has provided around 260 armoured vehicles to Ukraine since Putin's invasion Credit: Getty They raided hangars and smashed up computers at the facility in Belgium owned by OIP Land Systems - who produce military equipment for Ukraine. But the idiotic protesters, dressed in white overalls and masks, wrongly believed that the equipment was being shipped to Israel, 7sur7 reported. Taking part in the Stop Arming Israel campaign, they first broke into and ransacked the warehouse's offices in Tournai. The dopey demonstrators then headed for the storage units before vandalising the facility and the critical equipment inside it. READ MORE WORLD NEWS SHELL SHOCKED Russians advance slower than a SNAIL with 50k pinned down in 'dronegrinder' They brought along disc cutters and hammers during the frenzy on Monday which "severely damaged some vehicles", the firm's CEO Freddy Verslyus said. He branded the group of vandals "Hamas sympathisers". The next shipment of military aid which - was reserved specifically to help Volodymyr Zelensky fend off Russia's meatgrinder invasion - has now been delayed. OIP Land Systems specialises in the maintenance, repair, and modernisation of military vehicles. Since the Vladimir Putin's bloody invasion, the company has already delivered around 260 armoured vehicles to the Ukrainian army. Versluys said: "The next delivery is now delayed by at least a month. Vladimir Putin rages 'all of Ukraine is ours' as he threatens to seize key city while Kyiv slams tyrant as 'deranged' "That's all these Hamas sympathisers will have achieved with their actions." The fuming CEO also announced his intention to file a complaint against unknown parties following the huge £1million damage bill. The military company was reportedly targeted by the protesters because it is owned by Israeli defence company Elbit Systems. The activists reportedly believe that Elbit supplies 85 per cent of the Israel Defence Force's drones, and most of their ground military equipment. But the raging protesters were left mortified after the firm's CEO claimed that his company had not produced defence systems for Israel in over 20 years. At least 30 people were arrested following the embarrassing raid, Stop Arming Israel said. Tournai police arrived to the scene supported by Borinage cops who also came with riot control vehicles. A helicopter was also scrambled during the mindless rampage. Some activists fled to neighbouring villages in order to escape, before being chased down by cops. OIP Land Systems has provided defence products to Ukraine on several occasions. The military equipment provided includes Leopard 1 tanks, which are manufactured at the Tournai plant. It comes after two pro-Palestine activists broke into an RAF base and vandalised two planes in a "grotesque" breach of security. The men were seen breaking into RAF Brize Norton in a video shared online by group Palestine Action. The UK's defence ministry slammed the "vandalism of Royal Air Force assets" in a scathing statement.
Novaya Gazeta Europe
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Novaya Gazeta Europe
US ambassador to Russia signs off posting with Pushkin quote — Novaya Gazeta Europe
US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy attends a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier ahead of Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, Russia, 25 April 2025. Photo: EPA-EFE/MAXIM SHIPENKOV US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy has completed her posting to Moscow and will soon depart the country after more than three years of service there, the US Embassy announced on Friday. 'We thank her for her constant diplomacy, deep respect for Russian culture, and dedicated service to her country. Ambassador Tracy's commitment to dialogue, even in difficult times, is an example of true diplomatic leadership,' the announcement read. A career member of the American Foreign Service, Tracy became the first female US ambassador to Russia when President Joe Biden appointed her in January 2023 to succeed John Sullivan. During her tenure, Tracy oversaw US-Russian relations following the invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent implementation of punitive sanctions by the West, and helped secure the release of several US citizens held in Russia, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. In February 2024, she and UK Ambassador to Russia Nigel Casey laid flowers at the Solovetsky Stone in Moscow, a monument to victims of political repression, after the death of opposition figure Alexey Navalny. Previously, Tracy served as the US Ambassador to Armenia (2019-2022), Deputy Chief of Mission to Moscow (2014-2017) — the Embassy's second most senior position — and completed other diplomatic postings in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, and Kyrgyzstan. In farewell comments accompanying the US Embassy's post, Tracy said she had been inspired by meeting Russians 'who love their country and work every day for a better future', and expressed her desire that work should continue to 'improve [US-Russian] relations and support connections with the Russian people'. She concluded her remarks with a verse from Alexander Pushkin's poem To Chaadaev, considered one of his earliest civic-minded works: While freedom kindles us, my friend, While honour calls us and we hear it, Come: to our country let us tend The noble promptings of the spirit.
Observer
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Observer
Russian missile attack kills five in Ukraine's southeast
KYIV: A Russian missile attack on Friday killed at least five people and wounded more than 20 in the industrial city of Samar in Ukraine's southeast, officials said, the second strike on the city in three days. At least four of the wounded were in severe condition and were taken to hospital, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said on the Telegram messaging app. Officials gave no immediate details on damage in the city, where an attack on an unidentified infrastructure facility on Tuesday killed two people. Hundreds of kilometres to the south, in the Kherson region, authorities urged residents on Friday to prepare for extended periods without power after a Russian attack hit a key energy facility. Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram that "Russians decided to plunge the region into darkness". In recent weeks Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian cities, particularly its capital Kyiv, more than three years into the war that followed its full-scale attack. The Ukrainian air force said Russia had launched 363 long-range drones and eight missiles overnight into Friday, targeting a small western city of Starokostiantyniv, home to an important air base. There were no details on damage. Russia's drone production jumped by 16.9% in May compared to the previous month, data from a think tank close to the government showed on Friday, after President Vladimir Putin called for output to be stepped up. Putin in April said that more than 1.5 million drones of various types had been produced last year, including about 4,000 first-person view (FPV) drones — lightweight models designed for precision targeting, but said that troops fighting on the front line in Ukraine needed more. Both sides have deployed drones on a huge scale, using them to spot and hit targets not only on the battlefield but way beyond the front lines. Drone production growth of 16.9% in May was significantly higher than previous months, according to the Centre for Macroeconomic Analysis and Short-Term Forecasting, an economic think tank close to the government. The average monthly increase in the previous five months was 3.7%, the report said and the level in May was 1.6 times higher than average monthly output in 2024. Moscow has been developing a new laser-based system to defend against drones, especially important as Ukrainian drones frequently strike sites deep inside Russia such as oil depots, refineries and airfields. A Russian attack damaged energy infrastructure in Ukraine's southern Kherson region, its governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on the Telegram messaging app on Friday. He said the attack on an "important power facility" caused power cuts in some settlements in the region, which is close to front lines with Russian forces. A Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's Kursk region on the border with Ukraine injured a war correspondent from the Chinese news outlet Phoenix TV, Russian authorities said late on Thursday, urging the United Nations to respond to the incident. "A Ukrainian drone today struck the village of Korenevo in the Korenevsky district," acting governor of the Kursk region, Alexander Khinshtein, said on the Telegram messaging app. "A 63-year-old correspondent, Lu Yuguang, who went to the border area on his own, was injured." Khinshtein said in a later post that the journalist had skin cuts to his head and after treatment, refused hospitalisation. Russia's foreign ministry called on the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and other international organisations to "promptly respond and give a proper assessment" of the incident. "The targeted attack... indicates the intention of the Kyiv regime to silence and de facto destroy representatives of any media that seek to convey objective information," Maria Zakharova, the foreign ministry's spokeswoman, said. — Reuters
The Advertiser
17 hours ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Ukraine says Russian missiles kill five in southeast
A Russian missile attack has killed at least five people and wounded more than 20 in the industrial city of Samar in Ukraine's southeast, officials say, the second strike on the city in three days. At least four of the wounded were in severe condition and were taken to hospital, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said on the Telegram messaging app on Friday. Officials gave no immediate details on damage in the city, where an attack on an unidentified infrastructure facility on Tuesday killed two people. Hundreds of kilometres to the south, in the Kherson region, authorities urged residents to prepare for extended periods without power after a Russian attack hit a key energy facility. Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram that "Russians decided to plunge the region into darkness". In recent weeks Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian cities, particularly its capital Kyiv, more than three years into the war that followed its full-scale invasion. The Ukrainian air force said Russia had launched 363 long-range drones and eight missiles overnight into Friday, targeting a small western city of Starokostiantyniv, home to an important air base. There were no details on damage. The air force said its defences had stopped all but four of the drones and downed six cruise missiles. Russia's Defence Ministry, meanwhile, said 39 Ukrainian drones were downed in several regions overnight, including 19 over the Rostov region and 13 over the Volgograd region. Both regions lie east of Ukraine. Long-range drone strikes have been a hallmark of the war, now in its fourth year. The race by both sides to develop increasingly sophisticated and deadlier drones has turned the war into a testing ground for new weaponry. with AP A Russian missile attack has killed at least five people and wounded more than 20 in the industrial city of Samar in Ukraine's southeast, officials say, the second strike on the city in three days. At least four of the wounded were in severe condition and were taken to hospital, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said on the Telegram messaging app on Friday. Officials gave no immediate details on damage in the city, where an attack on an unidentified infrastructure facility on Tuesday killed two people. Hundreds of kilometres to the south, in the Kherson region, authorities urged residents to prepare for extended periods without power after a Russian attack hit a key energy facility. Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram that "Russians decided to plunge the region into darkness". In recent weeks Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian cities, particularly its capital Kyiv, more than three years into the war that followed its full-scale invasion. The Ukrainian air force said Russia had launched 363 long-range drones and eight missiles overnight into Friday, targeting a small western city of Starokostiantyniv, home to an important air base. There were no details on damage. The air force said its defences had stopped all but four of the drones and downed six cruise missiles. Russia's Defence Ministry, meanwhile, said 39 Ukrainian drones were downed in several regions overnight, including 19 over the Rostov region and 13 over the Volgograd region. Both regions lie east of Ukraine. Long-range drone strikes have been a hallmark of the war, now in its fourth year. The race by both sides to develop increasingly sophisticated and deadlier drones has turned the war into a testing ground for new weaponry. with AP A Russian missile attack has killed at least five people and wounded more than 20 in the industrial city of Samar in Ukraine's southeast, officials say, the second strike on the city in three days. At least four of the wounded were in severe condition and were taken to hospital, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said on the Telegram messaging app on Friday. Officials gave no immediate details on damage in the city, where an attack on an unidentified infrastructure facility on Tuesday killed two people. Hundreds of kilometres to the south, in the Kherson region, authorities urged residents to prepare for extended periods without power after a Russian attack hit a key energy facility. Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram that "Russians decided to plunge the region into darkness". In recent weeks Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian cities, particularly its capital Kyiv, more than three years into the war that followed its full-scale invasion. The Ukrainian air force said Russia had launched 363 long-range drones and eight missiles overnight into Friday, targeting a small western city of Starokostiantyniv, home to an important air base. There were no details on damage. The air force said its defences had stopped all but four of the drones and downed six cruise missiles. Russia's Defence Ministry, meanwhile, said 39 Ukrainian drones were downed in several regions overnight, including 19 over the Rostov region and 13 over the Volgograd region. Both regions lie east of Ukraine. Long-range drone strikes have been a hallmark of the war, now in its fourth year. The race by both sides to develop increasingly sophisticated and deadlier drones has turned the war into a testing ground for new weaponry. with AP A Russian missile attack has killed at least five people and wounded more than 20 in the industrial city of Samar in Ukraine's southeast, officials say, the second strike on the city in three days. At least four of the wounded were in severe condition and were taken to hospital, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said on the Telegram messaging app on Friday. Officials gave no immediate details on damage in the city, where an attack on an unidentified infrastructure facility on Tuesday killed two people. Hundreds of kilometres to the south, in the Kherson region, authorities urged residents to prepare for extended periods without power after a Russian attack hit a key energy facility. Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram that "Russians decided to plunge the region into darkness". In recent weeks Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian cities, particularly its capital Kyiv, more than three years into the war that followed its full-scale invasion. The Ukrainian air force said Russia had launched 363 long-range drones and eight missiles overnight into Friday, targeting a small western city of Starokostiantyniv, home to an important air base. There were no details on damage. The air force said its defences had stopped all but four of the drones and downed six cruise missiles. Russia's Defence Ministry, meanwhile, said 39 Ukrainian drones were downed in several regions overnight, including 19 over the Rostov region and 13 over the Volgograd region. Both regions lie east of Ukraine. Long-range drone strikes have been a hallmark of the war, now in its fourth year. The race by both sides to develop increasingly sophisticated and deadlier drones has turned the war into a testing ground for new weaponry. with AP
