Overnight missile and drone strikes killed 13 people and wounded about 90 across Ukraine and nearby Russian border regions, authorities said. Strikes hit Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa and other frontline areas; Ukrainian drones were blamed for several deaths in Russia's Belgorod region. President Zelenskyy renewed urgent calls for more interceptors, domestic Patriot ammunition production or permission to use Starlink for targeting. Russia said it struck Ukrainian logistics sites and shot down 153 drones.
13 Killed, About 90 Wounded After Intense Overnight Strikes Across Ukraine and Border Regions
13 killed in Ukraine and 90 injured as Russia intensifies overnight bombardment campaign of Ukrainian cities
Russian and Ukrainian forces exchanged strikes overnight, killing civilians and wounding many across Ukraine and in nearby Russian border regions, local authorities and officials said.
Overview
Large-scale Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian cities have become more frequent in recent weeks, with Kyiv saying Moscow is exploiting shortages of interceptors for the US-made Patriot batteries — currently the primary system Ukraine can use to counter ballistic missiles.
Local officials reported that, over the past 24 hours, at least 13 people were killed and roughly 90 were injured in strikes across Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa and other frontline cities. Authorities on both sides reported civilian casualties.
Emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire of residential buildings following a Russian missiles attack in Odesa, Ukraine, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026 - Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP/Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP
Notable Incidents
Belgorod (Russia): Regional authorities said Ukrainian drone strikes killed five people, including a four-year-old child, and wounded about two dozen others in Russia's border Belgorod region.
Kyiv Region: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that one strike killed a three-year-old boy and his grandparents in the Kyiv capital region; a separate attack later caused another civilian fatality.
Kharkiv: A Russian missile struck a high-rise in the Saltivskyi district, killing three people and injuring 37, regional head Oleh Syniehubov said. Rescue teams evacuated wounded residents from damaged buildings.
Rescuers evacuate an injured civilian after a residential building was hit following Russia's drone attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026 - Andrii Marienko/Copyright 2026 The AP. All rights reserved.
Odesa: Local officials said "dozens of missiles and drones" struck the Black Sea port and surrounding region, setting residential buildings on fire and wounding at least eight people.
Other frontline cities, including Sumy, Kherson and parts of Donetsk in the Donbas region, also reported fatalities and damage from overnight strikes.
Claims and Counterclaims
Russia's defence ministry said its forces struck Ukrainian drone warehouses in Kharkiv region and fuel depots and materiel stores at Odesa's port. Moscow also claimed its air defences shot down 153 Ukrainian drones overnight, including over Crimea and the Black and Azov seas.
Emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire of residential buildings following a Russian missiles attack in Odesa, Ukraine, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026 - Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP/Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP
Russian regional authorities reported damage to residential blocks, private homes and administrative buildings in Belgorod, and debris from drone strikes was reported in Novorossiysk, which hosts a major fuel terminal linking Kazakhstan's oil fields to global markets.
Kyiv's Response
"More pressure is needed — new sanctions that will prevent Russia from producing these ballistic missiles. And our people absolutely need more protection. Anti-ballistic systems, interceptor missiles for Patriot, SAMP/T, NASAMS, and HAWK systems, as well as our F-16s," Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram.
Zelenskyy has urged partner countries — especially the United States — to send additional Patriot batteries and interceptors. He has also proposed producing Patriot ammunition in Ukraine or obtaining permission to use Starlink to help guide strikes against missile launchers inside Russia.
Context
Kyiv has carried out long-range drone strikes targeting Russian energy infrastructure, major commercial sites and logistical hubs as part of efforts to degrade Moscow's war-sustaining capabilities, a strategy that Kyiv says has also contributed to fuel shortages inside Russia.
Both sides' claims are difficult to independently verify in many cases. Casualty and damage figures cited here are based on statements from regional administrations, local officials and defense ministry releases issued on the day of the strikes (Aug. 9, 2026).
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