Russia, Ukraine launch 600+ drones, hit oil tankers
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- Russia fired 268 drones and one ballistic missile in an overnight attack, Kyiv’s air force reported.
- Ukraine launched at least 334 drones at Russia, according to Moscow’s defence ministry.
- Russian drone strikes killed three people in Ukraine, including two in the Odesa region (a truck driver at a port) and one in Kherson, and damaged residential buildings and port infrastructure.
- Ukrainian drone attacks killed a 77‑year‑old man near Moscow and struck two of Russia’s “shadow” oil tankers at Novorossiysk, President Zelenskyy said.
- Oil export terminals in Russia’s Leningrad region have been repeatedly hit, knocking out billions of dollars worth of exports, Kyiv claims.
- Kyiv says its drone operations target only energy and military facilities, framing them as retaliation for Russia’s nightly barrages.
- Russia denies targeting civilians.
Why it matters: The drone exchange directly chips away at Russia’s oil‑export earnings by striking its shadow‑fleet tankers and Leningrad terminals, while Ukraine endures civilian casualties and damaged port infrastructure, highlighting the war’s widening economic and humanitarian toll.
