A Russian attack on Friday killed at least three people and injured fourteen others in the southern city of Kherson, Ukraine, which is constantly exposed to Russian fire from across the Dnieper River that divides the region and marks the dividing line of the territory controlled by each side.
According to the Ukrainian Prosecutor's Office, Russian forces massively attacked the city on Friday morning with multiple rocket launchers targeting residential areas.
In addition to homes, the attack caused damage to various civilian and transportation infrastructures, according to the Prosecutor's Office.
Russia Shoots Down 136 Drones in Second Consecutive Day of Massive Ukrainian Attacks
Russian anti-aircraft defenses shot down 136 fixed-wing drones over the country and annexed Crimea last night and this morning, in a second consecutive day of massive Ukrainian attacks, as reported on Friday by the Russian Ministry of Defense on Telegram.
According to an initial military report, during the previous night, the anti-aircraft defense systems intercepted and destroyed 111 Ukrainian drones over twelve regions of the country, including Moscow, and in Crimea, where seven drones were shot down.
The military command specified that 66 of these drones were shot down in border regions with Ukraine.
Russian Attack Kills at Least Three People in Ukrainian City of Kherson
A Russian attack on Friday killed at least three people and injured fourteen others in the southern city of Kherson, Ukraine, which is constantly exposed to Russian fire from across the Dnieper River that divides the region and marks the dividing line of the territory controlled by each side.
According to the Ukrainian Prosecutor's Office, Russian forces massively attacked the city on Friday morning with multiple rocket launchers targeting residential areas.
In addition to homes, the attack caused damage to various civilian and transportation infrastructures, according to the Prosecutor's Office.
Russian Defense Minister Visits Troops Fighting in Ukraine
Russian Defense Minister, Andrei Belousov, inspected the Southern forces group fighting in Ukraine, where he was briefed on the situation on the front line, as reported by his ministry on Friday.
The Russian Ministry of Defense added that their troops had taken control of the town of Dronivka in the Donetsk region, east of Ukraine.
Spain Affirms Commitment to NATO as a Reliable Team Player
Spain will reach a defense spending equivalent to 2% of GDP this year, ahead of the scheduled deadline of 2029, as a demonstration of commitment to its NATO and EU allies, as indicated by the Minister of Economy, Trade, and Business, Carlos Cuerpo, who stated that this shows that the country will continue to be "a reliable team player."
In an interview with the British channel Sky News before the meeting in London of the so-called 'Volunteer Coalition,' which includes countries supporting Ukraine, Cuerpo highlighted the recent deployment of Spanish fighter jets in Lithuania in response to Russian aircraft presence as "just another example of Spain's firm commitment to defending NATO allies."
In response to repeated criticisms from U.S. President Donald Trump, the Spanish minister pointed out the "great effort" of the Spanish government to increase defense spending, reaching 2% of GDP this year with an increase of over 11 billion euros.
Nearly Fifty Russian Drones Strike Various Locations in Ukraine
Nearly fifty attack drones out of a total of 128 long-range drones of different types launched by Russia against Ukrainian territory from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning hit a dozen unspecified locations by the Ukrainian Air Force, according to the report provided by this component of the Ukrainian Army.
"47 attack drones hit ten locations," reads the report, which also explains that 72 Russian drones were neutralized by air defenses.
Out of the total Russian drones launched in this new massive bombardment, "nearly 90" were Russian-Iranian Shahed kamikaze drones, as explained by the Air Force.
Latvia and Estonia Show Solidarity with Lithuania After Russian Violation of Airspace
The President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkvis, and the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kristen Michal, expressed their solidarity with Lithuania after the Baltic nation reported a violation of its airspace by Russian military aircraft from Thursday night to Friday.
"Full solidarity and support to our Lithuanian allies and friends," wrote Rinkvis in a message on his X account, quoting Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, who denounced the violation of his country's airspace.
Likewise, also on X, Michal expressed "total solidarity" with Lithuania after what he called "another Russian provocation."
Russian Air Defense Systems Down Three Drones Headed for Moscow
The Mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, announced on Friday that the air defense systems had shot down three drones heading towards the Russian capital.
Five people, including a child, were injured as a result of a drone attack in the Moscow region, previously reported by Governor Andrei Vorobyov. The Ministry of Defense stated that during the night, 111 Ukrainian drones were intercepted and destroyed over various Russian regions.
Hungary Working on Evading U.S. Sanctions Against Russian Oil Companies
Hungary is working to find a way to "evade" U.S. sanctions imposed on Russian oil companies, stated Prime Minister Viktor Orban in an interview with state radio Kossuth on Friday.
Orban added that he has already discussed the issue with the Hungarian oil and gas company MOL.
U.S. President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Russia for the first time in his second term on Wednesday, targeting Lukoil and Rosneft.
German Economy Minister Visits Kyiv to Support Ukraine
German Economy Minister, Katherina Reiche, arrived in Kyiv on Friday, highlighting Berlin's efforts to assist Ukraine in repairing its energy infrastructure after recent Russian attacks severely damaged the power grid.
"Ukraine is facing its fourth winter at war, and at this moment, Russia has intensified its attacks on the Ukrainian energy supply, putting the electricity and heating supply at serious risk during the winter," stated Reiche in Kyiv, where she arrived with a business delegation.
Reiche's visit comes as Ukraine faces growing energy challenges, including long interruptions in key facilities such as the Zaporizhia nuclear plant.
Five Injured in Drone Attack in Moscow Region
Five people, including a child, were injured as a result of a drone attack in the Moscow region, as reported on Friday by Governor Andrei Vorobyov.
A drone struck an apartment in the city of Krasnogorsk, about 20 km from the center of Moscow. Four people were hospitalized, Vorobyov added.
Russian air defense units intercepted and destroyed 111 Ukrainian drones over various Russian regions during the night, including one over the Moscow region, according to the Ministry of Defense.
Trump's Shift in Sanctions Targets Russian Oil Companies Funding War in Ukraine
The United States and the European Union are imposing another round of sanctions on Russia to reduce its profits from oil and gas exports, which fund Moscow's war against Ukraine.
More than three and a half years after the war began, these initiatives remain a cat-and-mouse game, where Russia finds new ways to evade sanctions, while Washington and Brussels add new measures and seek ways to close gaps in their implementation.