Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Wednesday, Jun 04, 2025

At least five injured in Russian air raids in Ukraine

At least five injured in Russian air raids in Ukraine

Air raid sirens have sounded across Ukraine after Russia launched a fresh wave of missile and drone strikes on cities around the country.
Explosions were heard in Ukraine's capital Kyiv, where the city's mayor said five people had been injured by falling debris from downed drones.

Blasts also hit Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa and Mykolaiv, officials said.

It marks the fourth attack in eight days on Kyiv, and comes just 24 hours before Russia celebrates Victory Day.

The annual holiday commemorates the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany during World War Two, a conflict the Kremlin has baselessly tried to draw parallels to since launching its invasion of Ukraine last year.

After a lull in Russian attacks on civilian targets in recent months, which saw Kyiv go days without an attack, Moscow has intensified its air raids over the past week ahead of an expected Ukrainian offensive in the south-eastern Zaporizhzhia region.

The Ukrainian military said Monday morning's raids, which lasted more than four hours and were launched shortly after midnight, saw 16 missiles fired at targets across the country.

It said that 61 airstrikes and 52 rocket salvos were also fired at cities and military positions. Officials added that some 35 Iranian-made Shahed kamikaze drones had been destroyed. The BBC has not been able to verify these numbers.

In Kyiv, emergency services responded after drone wreckage fell on a runway at Zhuliany international airport - one of the city's two commercial airports - Kyiv's military administration said.

And civilians were injured after drone debris hit a residential building in the central Shevchenkivskyi district, the administration added.

Elsewhere, in the Black Sea port city of Odesa, a warehouse was set ablaze after eight missiles were fired at targets by Russian bombers, officials said. Local media reported that three people were missing after the strikes.

In images posted to social media by Serhiy Bratchuk, spokesperson for the Odesa military administration, flames could be seen engulfing the building, which he identified as a food warehouse.

In Zaporizhzhia, the head of the Russian installed administration Vladimir Rogov said Russian forces hit a warehouse and Ukrainian troops' position in the small city of Orikhiv.

On the eastern front, the Ukrainian commander of forces in the besieged eastern city of Bakhmut said Russian troops had stepped up shelling, in a bid to take the city by Tuesday's celebrations.

Russian troops and fighters from the Wagner Group, a private military company, have been trying to capture Bakhmut for months - despite its questionable strategic value.

Over the weekend, Wagner's founder Yevgeny Prigozhin appeared to U-turn on a threat to withdraw from the city after he was promised fresh ammunition supplies by the defence ministry in Moscow.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that 9 May will be celebrated as Europe Day from now on, in a pointed rebuke to Russia.

Mr Zelensky said he had signed a decree that the day would commemorate European unity, and the defeat of "Ruscism" - a term that is shorthand for "Russian fascism".
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
×