These strikes highlight a sharp escalation in hostilities nearly four and a half years into the ongoing conflict.

Casualties reported on both sides

Ukrainian drone and missile strikes inside Russian territory claimed at least nine lives, including a 13-year-old girl in the Belgorod region, local authorities confirmed. Further casualties were reported following drone operations in Russia's Saratov and Udmurtia regions.

Meanwhile, Russian retaliatory strikes across Ukraine left at least five dead in the Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Kharkiv regions, where a local postal terminal was completely destroyed.

Fighting continues amid stalled peace efforts

The latest violence follows months of heightened long-range bombardments, with Moscow increasing missile assaults while Kyiv steps up attacks on Russian infrastructure to ramp up pressure.

Diplomatic initiatives led by the United States to secure a ceasefire have remained deadlocked since February, while both Kyiv and Moscow continue to deny deliberately targeting civilian populations.