15 Killed As Russia, Ukraine Exchange Fresh Cross-Border Strikes

Last Updated:July 03, 2026, 21:35 IST

Fresh cross-border attacks between Russia and Ukraine left at least 15 people dead on Friday, a day after one of the deadliest Russian assaults on Kyiv since the war began.

At least 10 people were killed as Ukraine launched a new wave of attacks on Russia and Russian-occupied territory on Friday, while Kyiv said fresh Russian strikes claimed five lives across the country.

The latest attack came less than 24 hours after Russia launched a massive missile and drone barrage on Kyiv that killed at least 30 people, making it one of the deadliest attacks on the Ukrainian capital since Moscow’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

In the Russian-occupied part of Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region, a Ukrainian strike hit a local market, killing five people, according to Kremlin-appointed governor Yevgeny Balitsky. Calling it an attack on civilians, Balitsky wrote on Telegram, “This is a strike against civilian life against people who had come to buy groceries."

Ukraine Launches New Wave Of Strikes

Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched two missiles and 105 drones overnight into Friday. Ukrainian authorities said around 25 locations across the city were hit, many of them residential areas. One missile destroyed a 64-apartment building, leaving several people dead and dozens of families homeless.

While Russia claimed it targeted military and energy infrastructure, Ukrainian officials said civilian buildings suffered extensive damage.

The attack also highlighted Russia’s evolving tactics. Along with ballistic missiles, Moscow used jet-powered drones, which can fly much faster than conventional drones and are harder for Ukraine’s air defences to intercept.

Ukrainian officials warned that the increasing use of these drones is putting additional pressure on the country’s already limited supply of air defence missiles, particularly Patriot interceptors.

Despite Ukraine intercepting more than 90% of the cruise missiles and Shahed-type drones launched in the strike, officials say the country urgently needs more air defence systems and missiles.

Ukrainian authorities have appealed to nearly 40 countries for immediate supplies as they warn Russia has significantly increased its drone production and may be preparing for more large-scale attacks in the coming months.

News world 15 Killed As Russia, Ukraine Exchange Fresh Cross-Border Strikes

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