Russia reports intercepting 660 Ukrainian drones as Kyiv announces preemptive strikes

Russian authorities reported intercepting 660 Ukrainian drones overnight across more than a dozen regions, including Moscow. Concurrently, explosions were reported in Kyiv, with the Ukrainian air force indicating a missile strike on the capital. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Kyiv's intention to conduct "preemptive attacks" on Russian territory, specifically stating that Flamingo missiles targeted an industrial complex in Volgograd. The Kremlin asserted that Ukrainian strikes are a response to worsening front-line conditions for Kyiv, claiming Russian forces are advancing "along the entire front" and predicting "irreversible" consequences. Separately, Russian attacks in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia oblast injured at least 16 people, hitting warehouses and an administrative building. Russian-occupied Crimea declared an "emergency situation" due to a fuel crisis, intensified by recent Ukrainian attacks. The European Council extended economic sanctions against Russia, and a €90 billion European loan's initial installment was disbursed to Ukraine. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called for "mutual respect" between Poles and Ukrainians at a reconstruction conference in Gdansk.

Sources: Le Monde — International