Escalating Attacks Between Russia and Ukraine

In Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, a Russian drone attack on a mall resulted in at least 15 deaths and dozens injured according to authorities. The attack in Kryvyi Rih along with two others in the Ukrainian regions of Mykolaiv and Kharkiv, led to a total of 21 casualties across Ukraine on Friday.

Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, experienced a “double-tap” strike, as described by the President. The first wave of drones hit the area followed by a second wave targeting rescue teams. Zelenskyy condemned the attacks as acts of terrorism and pledged that Ukraine would respond.

Oleksandr Hanzha, the head of Dnipropetrovsk’s regional military administration, reported 130 injuries including 23 children in the mall attack. Kryvyi Rih, victim to multiple assaults throughout the ongoing war, had a notably deadly attack in April 2025 which killed 20 people including nine children.

Earlier on Friday, two elderly women died in a Russian drone attack in Kharkiv and another attack killed four people, three of whom were children, in the Mykolaiv region as reported by emergency services.

Ukraine’s air force announced it had neutralized 107 out of 135 drones launched by Russia overnight. On Thursday, Kyiv faced a massive air assault from Russian forces causing 16 deaths. UN reports indicate Kyiv faced significant casualties in July with at least 54 civilians dead and 202 injured.

Moscow has intensified ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv, exploiting shortages of U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems, crucial for intercepting these missiles. Ukraine’s counterattacks include drone assaults on a Russian oil refinery in Perm and a military airfield in Volgograd, alongside an attack in the Belgorod region.

Reports suggest these long-range strikes have increased with neither side making significant battlefield progress on the 1,250-kilometer front line. Ukraine has advanced by producing long-range drones, aiming to press Russian public opinion to push for peace negotiations. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown no intentions of ending the invasion.