Russia conducts airstrikes on Ukraine as military death tolls rise

Russia launched a series of intense airstrikes across several Ukrainian regions, resulting in at least nine deaths and dozens of injuries. The attacks targeted residential buildings and critical infrastructure, including power plants and food stores. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Moscow is shifting the focus of the war toward the Ukrainian economy by deploying nearly 500 drones to destroy facilities essential for civilian survival.

Casualties were reported in multiple locations: three people died in Kramatorsk, two in Zhytomyr Oblast, two in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and two in Kryvyi Rih. In Odesa, nearly 40 people were injured. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed its forces struck the Zaporizhstal metallurgical plant, industrial complexes in Dnipro, and various port facilities in Odesa and Chornomorsk.

Separately, an investigation by Mediazona and BBC Russian has identified 248,844 Russian soldiers killed in the war since February 2022. While this figure is based on verified public data such as obituaries and local media reports, investigators note the actual number is likely significantly higher. This count includes 7,656 officers. These findings contrast with Western intelligence estimates, which suggest Russian fatalities could be as high as 500,000.