Six Killed in Russian Region as Ukraine and Russia Exchange Deadly Overnight Strikes

At least six people were killed and four others injured after a Ukrainian missile strike hit the village of Koloskovo in Russia’s Belgorod region, according to Russian regional authorities, as Moscow and Kyiv exchanged a fresh wave of overnight attacks.

Acting Belgorod Governor Alexander Shuvaev said the strike hit the Valuysky district, near the Ukrainian border. A 14-year-old child was among the injured, with the child and another victim taken to hospital, while two others were treated at the scene. A building was reportedly set ablaze and a vehicle damaged in the attack.

The latest casualties came a day after one of Ukraine’s largest reported drone offensives of the year against targets deep inside Russia. Russian authorities said at least six people were killed in the earlier attacks, while Ukraine has continued to intensify its long-range strikes against Russian territory and military-linked infrastructure.

Russian forces, meanwhile, launched another series of missile and drone attacks across Ukraine. In the Odesa region, a Russian strike on port infrastructure damaged a civilian vessel flying the Togolese flag and injured four people. Three of the injured were hospitalised, with one reported to be in serious condition.

The exchange of strikes underscores the escalating intensity of the conflict, with both sides increasingly targeting locations far from the front lines. Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukraine’s ports and other critical infrastructure, while Kyiv has expanded its ability to conduct long-range drone operations inside Russia.

The latest attacks come as the war, now in its fifth year since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, shows little sign of easing. With diplomatic efforts stalled and long-range strikes becoming more frequent, civilians on both sides continue to bear the heaviest cost of the escalating conflict.