Russia launched a major overnight drone assault on Ukraine, killing at least 10 people and injuring dozens more, as the war enters a more aggressive aerial phase. The escalation came hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin removed his transport minister over a separate crisis: widespread flight disruptions triggered by Ukrainian drone threats inside Russia.

Drone Barrage Across Ukraine

Ukrainian authorities reported over 100 drones were used to strike civilian areas across several cities. The southern city of Odesa, northeastern Kharkiv, and multiple districts of Kyiv suffered damage, including injuries from falling drone debris.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that in the past week alone, Russia had launched:

• 1,270 drones
• 39 missiles
• Almost 1,000 glide bombs

The toll on civilians continues to rise, with children among the wounded. Ukraine has urgently requested additional air defense systems from Western allies, especially after a partial freeze on U.S. weapons shipments.

Ukrainian Countermeasures and Industry Response

Zelenskyy announced new drone production agreements with European allies and a major U.S. defense contractor, aiming to deliver “hundreds of thousands” of drones, including interceptor models to defend against long-range Shahed drones.

Despite frontline fatigue and troop shortages, Ukraine continues to rely heavily on drone technology to hold the line.

Kremlin Shakes Up Leadership After Travel Turmoil

In a rare internal political move, President Putin dismissed Transport Minister Roman Starovoyt, replacing him with Deputy Minister Andrey Nikitin. Though no official reason was given, the dismissal came after hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed over the weekend at major airports, including Moscow’s Sheremetyevo and St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo.

The chaos followed a surge in Ukrainian drone attacks deep into Russian territory, prompting authorities to ground flights and reroute air traffic due to security concerns.

Russian attacks continued Monday in Sumy, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Crimea. Ukrainian officials say Russian forces are attempting to breach frontlines at multiple points. At least:

• 2 killed in Sumy
• 7 killed and 9 injured in Donetsk
• 17 injured in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed it had shot down 91 Ukrainian drones across 13 regions and over the Black Sea and Crimea.