Moscow details intensive Ukrainian assaults.
In Moscow's statements, the Ukrainian military launched nighttime attacks on Russian territories, with the North Ossetia region affected for the first time. The governor of Kherson accused Ukraine of causing a severe attack with casualties.
As per Russia's accounts, Ukraine sent a fleet of 25 combat drones on a nighttime raid. These drones were said to have been repelled in the border regions of Rostov, Bryansk, and Belgorod, as per the Russian Defense Ministry's statement. The Crimean Peninsula was also included in the affected territories. The Belgorod governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, mentioned that a village church was damaged in this region, but no casualties were reported.
Additionally, a drone managed to progress further and reached the North Ossetian Republic in the Caucasus, according to regional leader Sergei Menyailo. The target was a military airfield, and this was the first reported instance of a Ukrainian drone reaching North Ossetia since the start of the war, as it's relatively distant from the front lines.
Despite Moscow's declaration, there's no confirmation about all Ukrainian drones being successfully downed by the Russian air defense. The Russian Defense Ministry often omits details about drones that successfully complete their missions.
The Russian interim government in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson made severe accusations against the Ukrainian army. They alleged that at least 22 people were murdered and 15 were injured in the bombardment of the small town of Sadove. Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-appointed governor, claimed that a store filled with people was bombarded, leaving 5 people in critical condition. However, the images posted by Saldo on Telegram didn't provide a clear view of the incident. There were no verifications of the claimed shelling from independent sources. If the numbers are true, this would be one of the most significant attacks by the Ukrainian army on their own territory under Russian control.
In the meantime, in the Russian-occupied eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk, the occupation authorities reported casualties on Friday. Four people were killed, and approximately 40 were injured when a house was hit, as per their account. The Ukrainian authorities confirmed an attack, which targeted military targets. The civilian casualties were allegedly caused by the Russian air defense.
