Russia and Ukraine trade aerial strikes in renewed escalation

Russia attacked Ukraine with 103 Iranian-made Shahed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, while Moscow claimed to have destroyed 66 UAVs sent by Ukraine into Russian territory.

“Almost every day, we defend our skies against Russian missiles and drones. Just last night, Ukraine was attacked by 103 drones, which contained 8,755 foreign-made components,” Zelenskyy said on X on Sunday.

In the past week, Russia deployed over 630 attack drones, about 740 guided aerial bombs, and nearly 50 missiles of different types, using more than 50,000 sanctioned components obtained from various countries worldwide, he added pointedly.

“The sanctions pressure on supply chains for foreign components remains insufficient. Russia continues to acquire the components and manufacturing tools it needs — almost globally — and uses them in the weapons it employs to terrorise Ukraine,” he said.

The Russian military shot down 61 UAVs, including 37 in the Rostov region, 20 in the Bryansk region, two in the Voronezh region, and one each in the Belgorod and Oryol regions, said the country’s Defence Ministry.

The statement added that in one two-hour period, Russian air defence systems destroyed five UAVs, three in the Belgorod region and two in the Kursk region.

Kiev seizes villages in Russia's Kursk

Russia said that Ukraine had launched a "counterattack" in the western border region of Kursk, where Kiev's forces began a shock ground offensive last August.

It was not immediately clear how much Ukraine had advanced in the region, but pro-Kremlin military bloggers reported earlier that a powerful new offensive was underway.

"At about 0600 GMT Moscow time, to halt the advance of Russian troops in the Kursk direction, the enemy launched a counterattack," the Russian defence ministry said.

Ukraine used two tanks, a dozen armoured vehicles and a demolition unit in the new offensive, which was headed towards the village of Berdin, the ministry added.

"The operation to destroy the Ukrainian army formations continues."

Pro-Kremlin military bloggers reported earlier that Kiev was mounting a new offensive in the area, and that its troops were pressing towards the region's Bolshesoldatsky district.

Ukrainian officials offered limited information about the offensive.

"Russia is getting what it deserves," Ukrainian presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak said.

Kiev seized dozens of villages in the Kursk region shortly after its offensive began last year, but its advances stalled after Moscow rushed reinforcements to the area, including thousands of North Korean troops.