Russian Missile, Drone Attacks Strike Ukraine, Moscow, Disrupt Flights

Russian forces launched extensive drone and missile attacks overnight on multiple Ukrainian cities, including Pavlohrad in the Dnipropetrovsk region, Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih, Vinnytsia, Odesa, and Kyiv. These strikes involved hundreds of Shahed and decoy drones as well as ballistic missiles, causing casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings, with fatalities reported in Odesa. Ukrainian air defenses remain active, but the attacks continue to pressure the country amid ongoing conflict. Concurrently, Russia experienced drone attacks and explosions in its own regions near Moscow, including Istra, Zvenigorod, and the Oryol region, leading to air defense activations and disruptions at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport. These events come amid escalating tensions and a looming September 2 deadline set by US President Donald Trump for Russia to reach a peace deal, with Trump promising increased military support for Ukraine and threatening additional sanctions on Russia. Despite these efforts, previous peace talks have yielded little progress, and the conflict continues to exact a heavy toll on both sides.