Kyiv’s forces struck targets far beyond the front line this week, with several attacks landing hundreds of kilometres inside Russian territory. The escalation comes as both Moscow and Kyiv have stepped up strikes on one another in recent months, while US-brokered negotiations to end the war remain stalled.
Ukraine, which has consistently denied targeting civilians, argues its cross-border strikes are a proportionate response to Russia’s own bombardment of Ukrainian territory, and are intended to push Moscow toward the negotiating table.
Shelling in Russia’s Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, killed three people, regional officials reported. A separate drone strike further afield, in the Saratov region near the Kazakh border, killed two more.
The deadliest single incident struck a car in Udmurtia, more than 1,000 kilometres from the front line. Acting regional governor Olga Abramova said on Telegram that the victims were clearly not a military target, calling the strike senseless.
Russia’s defence ministry said its air defences shot down 635 Ukrainian drones overnight.
