At least three people have been killed and more than 30 injured in a massive overnight Russian aerial attack on Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky says.
He states that regions across the country were targeted as part of a deliberate strategy to intimidate civilians and destroy our infrastructure, with reports of a direct missile hitting a residential building.
According to Ukraine's air force, Moscow launched 619 drones and missiles during the assault. Russia's defense ministry has termed this action a massive strike aimed at military-industrial facilities.
In a separate incident, Russia claims four people were killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on the Saratov region, where Kyiv stated it targeted a major oil refinery.
Ukraine reports damage to another Russian oil refinery in the neighboring Samara region.
The BBC is unable to independently verify the statements from both warring parties.
Cross-border drone raids have become a prominent aspect of the ongoing conflict. In July, a sustained Ukrainian drone attack temporarily shut down all of Moscow's airports.
Kyiv has systematically targeted Russian oil and industrial facilities that are crucial to Russia's warfare capabilities in Ukraine.
Recently, Moscow has escalated its aerial assaults on Ukraine, while Kyiv and its Western allies, including the United States, continue to call for a ceasefire.
Earlier this month, a Russian Iskander cruise missile struck a main government building in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv.
Zelensky noted that he plans to meet with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) next week in New York.
Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
This latest aerial assault follows a day after Estonia sought urgent consultations with NATO allies regarding Russian jets reportedly violating its airspace.
Tensions have escalated as Poland and Romania have also reported breaches of their airspace by Russian drones recently.
