At least four people were killed overnight following an exchange of airstrikes between Ukraine and Russia, local authorities in both countries announced today.
“The enemy once again attacked civilian targets in the region,” stated Veniamin Kondratiev, the governor of Krasnodar in far southwestern Russia, on social media. He added that two people lost their lives while two others were injured. The governor noted that drone debris fell near the Afipskaya railway station, damaged at least ten private homes in the town, and sparked a fire at an oil refinery facility.
Across the Sea of Azov, in the Zaporizhzhia region of eastern Ukraine, at least two people were killed following a hostile strike on the regional capital. Zaporizhzhia Governor Ivan Fedorov confirmed on social media that a Russian guided bomb struck the city center, resulting in the deaths, though he did not specify if there were additional injuries.
The retaliatory strikes occurred one day after a coalition of European and allied nations pledged urgent reinforcements for Kyiv’s air defenses during a summit coinciding with the 35th anniversary of Ukrainian independence.
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Allied governments issued a joint statement—co-organized by Germany, the United Kingdom, and France—reaffirming their determination to step up military support, strengthen air defenses, deepen defense industry cooperation, and share technology through the Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition.
High-level attendees in Kyiv included British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and European Council President António Costa, while French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz participated via videoconference.
Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel also joined remotely, noting on social media that the meeting reinforced support for air defense, winter readiness across military and energy sectors, and further economic pressure on Russia. Participating coalition nations also reiterated their readiness to contribute to a multinational peacekeeping force to deploy on Ukrainian soil once a peace agreement with Moscow is reached to deter future aggression.
The summit took place as Ukraine marked 35 years of independence from the former Soviet Union, amidst an intensified campaign of Russian strikes targeting Ukrainian infrastructure.
