Ukraine says at least 20 killed in Russian strikes

A Ukrainian serviceman of the 59th brigade mobile air defence unit monitors the sky during a Russian air attack in the Dnipropetrovsk region on July 19. Russian attacks using deadly Geran drones, based on Iranian technology, have increased massively since May, with hundreds of drones launched daily, killing civilians. Photo / AFP

At least 20 people were killed and more than 40 wounded in overnight Russian strikes on Ukraine, regional officials said today.

Russia carried out eight strikes on the Zaporizhzhia region, hitting a prison, according to Ivan Fedorov, the head of the military administration.

“Sixteen people were killed, 35 were wounded,” he said on Telegram, adding that the premises were destroyed and that nearby houses were damaged.

People were also killed and more wounded in attacks on the Dnipropetrovsk region, according to regional government officials.

A missile strike on the city of Kamyanske killed two people, wounded five and damaged a hospital, Sergiy Lysak, head of the regional military administration, said on Telegram.

Another person was killed and several wounded in an attack on the region’s Synelnykivsky district, he said.

In a separate attack on Velykomykhaylivska on Monday night, a “75-year-old woman was killed. A 68-year-old man was wounded. A private house was damaged”, he posted on Telegram.

In southern Russia, a Ukrainian drone attack killed one person, the region’s acting governor said today.

“A car was damaged on Ostrovsky St. Unfortunately, the driver who was in it died,” Yuri Slyusar, acting governor of the Rostov region, said in a post on Telegram.

Kyiv has been trying to repel Russia’s summer offensive, which has made fresh advances into areas largely spared since the start of the offensive in 2022.

Over the weekend, the Russian army said its forces had “liberated the settlement of Maliyevka” in Dnipropetrovsk, weeks after it seized the first village in the region.

US President Donald Trump yesterday issued Moscow a deadline of “about 10 or 12 days” to end the conflict in Ukraine or face tough sanctions.

– Agence France-Presse