Symbolic imageDeaths on both sides as Russia and Ukraine trade overnight strikes
Overnight strikes into Sunday killed at least seven people in Russia and Ukraine, authorities on both sides said.
Ukrainian drones killed five people and injured two dozen, among them a four-year-old boy, in Russia's Belgorod region on Sunday, 9 August, AP reported, citing the regional administration; Reuters cited Russian authorities for six dead. Russian missiles hit a high-rise block in Kharkiv's Saltivskyi district, killing two and injuring 13, regional head Oleh Syniehubov said. In Odesa, dozens of missiles and drones injured eight, according to administration head Oleh Kiper.
Moscow's account of the night
Russia's Defence Ministry said it hit fuel tanks for Ukrainian troops at Belyary and Noviye Belyary, 27 and 28 kilometres northeast of Odesa port, and depots at Chernomorsk port, TASS reported. Russian air defences downed twelve Ukrainian drones over Tatarstan and Bashkortostan, TASS said.
Claims of two villages taken
Russia said its troops took two villages in eastern Ukraine, while Kyiv reported frontline battles, according to Reuters and The Hindu.
The gap in air defence
AP reports Ukraine lacks interceptors for its US-made Patriots, its only weapon against ballistic missiles and scarcer since the Iran war. Volodymyr Zelensky is seeking more of them, plus Ukrainian-made ammunition.
Other opinions
TASS reports the night only as Russian strikes on military fuel depots and drones shot down; Reuters puts Belgorod's dead at six, AP's source at five.