Russian air defences down dozens of Ukrainian drones, including two near St. Petersburg

Russian aerial defence units downed dozens of Ukrainian drones successful wide dispersed parts of the country, including 2 adjacent the country’s second-largest city, St. Petersburg, officials said.

Alexander Drozdenko, Governor of Leningrad portion surrounding St. Petersburg, wrote connected Telegram that 2 drones were downed successful antithetic districts southbound of the city.

He said nary injuries oregon harm was reported. Operations were suspended for a clip astatine St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport.

The politician of Smolensk portion successful occidental Russia said anti-aircraft units had downed 3 drones without immoderate casualties oregon damage. The politician of Voronezh region, adjacent to Ukraine said “several” drones had been destroyed.

The Russian Defence Ministry reported a full of 42 drones destroyed implicit a three-hour period, 37 of them successful 3 regions bordering Ukraine – Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk.

Ukraine has deployed drones progressively successful attacks connected distant targets successful Russian territory. In 1 spectacular acceptable of strikes past month, successful an cognition dubbed “Spider’s Web”, a fig of Russian bombers were deed astatine assorted aerial bases.

Russian forces person utilized expanding numbers of drones to people Ukrainian cities, with a grounds full of 539 drones and 11 missiles deployed against Kyiv connected Thursday (July 3, 2025) night, according to the Ukrainian aerial force.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his subject had successfully deployed drone interceptors to down Russian drones successful the overnight attack.

Russia launches largest missile, drone barrage connected Kyiv since opening of war

Waves of drones and missiles targeted Kyiv overnight successful the largest aerial battle since Russia’s penetration of Ukraine began much than 3 years ago, officials said Friday (July 4, 2025), amid a renewed Russian propulsion to seizure much of its neighbour’s land.

The seven-hour bombardment of Kyiv caused terrible harm crossed aggregate districts of the superior successful a seven-hour onslaught, authorities said.

Blasts lit up the nighttime entity and echoed crossed the metropolis arsenic aerial raid sirens wailed. The bluish lights of exigency vehicles reflected disconnected high-rise buildings, and debris blocked metropolis streets. “It was a harsh, sleepless night,” Mr. Zelenskyy said.

Russia has been stepping up its long-range attacks connected Ukrainian cities. Less than a week ago, Russia launched what was past the largest aerial battle of the war. That strategy has coincided with a concerted Russian effort to interruption done parts of the astir 1,000-km beforehand line, wherever Ukrainian troops are nether terrible pressure.

Russia launched 550 drones and missiles crossed Ukraine during the night, the country’s aerial unit said. The bulk were Shahed drones, but Russia besides launched 11 missiles successful the attack.

Alya Shahlai, a 23-year-old Kyiv wedding photographer, said that her location was destroyed successful the attack. “We were each successful the (basement) structure due to the fact that it was truthful loud, staying location would person been suicidal,” she told The Associated Press. “We went down 10 minutes earlier and past determination was a large explosion, and the lights went retired successful the shelter, radical were panicking.” Five ambulances were damaged portion responding to calls, officials said, and exigency services removed much than 300 tons of rubble.

Mr. Zelenskyy, Mr. Trump clasp “very important and productive” telephone telephone

Hours aft the barrage that killed 1 idiosyncratic and wounded astatine slightest 26 others, including a child, Mr. Zelenskyy said helium had a “very important and productive” telephone telephone with U.S. President Donald Trump.

The 2 leaders discussed however Ukrainian aerial defences mightiness beryllium strengthened, imaginable associated weapons accumulation betwixt the U.S. and Ukraine, and broader U.S.-led efforts to extremity the warfare with Russia, according to a connection by Mr. Zelenskyy.

The U.S. has paused immoderate shipments of subject assistance to Ukraine, including important aerial defence missiles. Ukraine’s main European backers are considering however they tin assistance prime up the slack. Mr. Zelenskyy says plans are afoot to physique up Ukraine’s home arms industry, but scaling up volition instrumentality time. The White House did not instantly respond to requests for remark astir the call.

In Friday’s (July 4, 2025) call, Mr. Zelenskyy said helium congratulated Mr. Trump and the American radical connected Independence Day and thanked the United States for its continued support.

They discussed a imaginable aboriginal gathering betwixt their teams to research ways of enhancing Ukraine’s extortion against aerial attacks, Mr. Zelenskyy said.

He added that they talked successful item astir defence manufacture capabilities and nonstop associated projects with the U.S., peculiarly successful drone technology. They besides exchanged views connected communal procurement, investment, and diplomatic practice with planetary partners, Mr. Zelenskyy said.