- Russian drone and missile strikes kill four and injure over 30 across Ukraine, targeting residential zones.
- Ukrainian drones disrupt Russian airspace, grounding hundreds of flights and sparking logistical chaos.
- President Putin fires Transport Minister Roman Starovoit amid mounting pressure and civilian backlash.
A fresh wave of Russian aerial attacks has left four civilians dead and over 30 wounded in Ukraine, as drones and missiles pounded several regions overnight.
In a retaliatory show of reach, Ukrainian drones triggered a crisis within Russia’s own aviation sector, prompting mass flight cancellations and rerouting.
Putin Fires Minister After Ukrainian Drones Paralyze Russian Airspace
The mounting civilian toll in Ukraine paints a bleak picture of daily life under siege, where air raid sirens and damaged infrastructure have become routine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to press allies for advanced air defense systems, citing the increasing use of drones that are harder to detect and intercept.
Meanwhile, the psychological impact of these attacks is now being felt on both sides of the border. Ukrainian civilians face nightly terror from incoming strikes, while Russian citizens are beginning to experience the direct effects of war through airport disruptions and fears of urban drone strikes.
Military analysts argue that Kyiv’s intensified drone campaign inside Russia is a calculated effort to stretch Moscow’s defense lines and disrupt military logistics. These tactics aim to bring the consequences of war closer to Russian civilians and shift domestic sentiment against the Kremlin.
Starovoit’s abrupt dismissal underscores growing tensions within the Russian government, which is under pressure to maintain domestic order while waging a drawn-out war. His firing is symbolic of the Kremlin’s urgent need to demonstrate control as public dissatisfaction grows over wartime hardships.
As Ukraine battles to defend its skies and Russia scrambles to contain domestic fallout, the war continues to evolve into a high-stakes contest of endurance and disruption—far beyond the battlefield.
“In war, truth is the first casualty.” — Aeschylus
