Russia and Ukraine launched drone attacks against each other on July 24, officials from both sides confirmed, as intense fighting continued along the front lines, reports RFE.
Zelensky: Strikes a Response to Ceasefire Proposal
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia’s overnight attacks were a “response” to Kyiv’s proposal for an immediate ceasefire, made during the meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul the previous day. Zelensky reported that Russia used over 100 drones and four missiles in the attacks, with most drones being Iranian-made Shahed types.
“Russia continues terror and hinders diplomacy, therefore it deserves a full sanctions response, as well as our strikes on its logistics, military bases, and military production facilities,” President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote in a Telegram post.
Local officials reported that the attacks primarily targeted the Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv, Odesa, and Cherkasy, resulting in at least three deaths and dozens injured. Oleh Synehubov, head of Kharkiv’s military administration, confirmed the attacks on his city were carried out with missiles. According to him, six children, including a one-year-old girl, were wounded. Residential buildings, civilian cars, and a communal services company sustained damage. A local resident told Radio Free Europe that “everything was destroyed” when she entered her apartment after the attack.
In the Black Sea port of Odesa, drones caused several fires and damage to the city’s historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Russian Casualties in Sochi Drone Attack
Meanwhile, Veniamin Kondratyev, governor of Russia’s Krasnodar region, reported that fragments from downed Ukrainian drones killed two women in Sochi. Due to the attacks, operations at a local airport were suspended for four hours, according to Russian aviation authorities. Eleven other people were injured when drone fragments fell on an oil depot, Governor Kondratyev stated.
On the battlefield, fierce fighting has persisted in key areas along the front line, with the most significant battles taking place in the Donetsk region.
