Russia launches drone attacks in Ukraine, US warns Poland of possible Russian provocation

On July 3‑4, 2026 Russian forces carried out extensive drone and guided‑bomb strikes across Ukraine, hitting Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Belgorod region and other locations. In Sumy four people, including a child, were killed; two more died in Zaporizhzhia, and a woman died in Belgorod. Russian officials claimed to have captured the town of Kostjantõnivka in Donetsk, a claim not independently verified. The attacks have raised the recent death toll to about 30.

The United States, citing intelligence, warned Poland that Russia could stage an armed provocation on Polish territory or elsewhere on NATO’s eastern flank in the coming months. Scenarios discussed include drone strikes on critical infrastructure, air attacks, or a limited ground incursion from Kaliningrad or Belarus. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Baltic security sources have echoed the concerns and urged heightened preparedness.