Russian attacks kill four as Ukraine drones target oil infrastructure

KYIV, April 6: A Russian drone attack on Odesa killed two women and a 2-year-old child, severely damaging an apartment block. Rescuers pulled four people from the rubble, while 11 others, ncluding a pregnant woman and two infants, were hospitalized. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia has continued targeting civilian areas throughout the four-year war, which has killed over 15,000 people, according to UN estimates.
Over the past week, Russia launched more than 2,800 drones, nearly 1,350 glide bombs, and over 40 missiles at Ukraine. In Kherson, shelling killed an elderly woman and injured three others. Russian attacks also targeted Ukraine’s power grid in several regions, leaving over 300,000 households without electricity. Zelenskyy expressed concern that global conflicts, particularly in the Middle East, are straining the supply of weapons Ukraine relies on, including US-made Patriot air defense systems, and urged international partners to strengthen Ukraine’s defenses.
Ukraine has struck back with long-range drones capable of hitting targets up to 1,500 km inside Russia, focusing on oil facilities in Novorossiysk and the Gulf of Finland. Russian authorities reported eight injuries, including two children, and damage to several buildings in Novorossiysk. Russia claimed it intercepted 50 Ukrainian drones overnight. Ukrainian officials said the attacks aim to disrupt Russian energy exports, which are being used to fund further strikes on Ukraine.
The ongoing exchange highlights the high-intensity conflict, with both sides targeting strategic and civilian sites. Civilians continue to bear the brunt of the violence, while critical infrastructure is repeatedly damaged, underscoring the war’s humanitarian and economic toll. (AP)