Zaporizhzhia hit by glide bombs as Zelenskyy expands deep-strike drone push

Kyiv,UPDATED: Aug 3, 2026 21:26 IST

Russian planes dropped eight glide bombs on residential areas of the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia within 90 minutes, killing one person and wounding dozens, Ukrainian officials said on Monday. In Russia, officials said debris from Ukrainian drones killed six people in the Black Sea town of Arkhipo-Osipovka in the Krasnodar region, while authorities in Crimea said another overnight Ukrainian attack killed three people and wounded two.

As both sides reported fresh strikes, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv was using long-range drones to hit targets deep inside Russia as part of an effort to push President Vladimir Putin towards a peace settlement. He said Ukraine had signed military cooperation agreements with nine countries and was negotiating similar deals with 15 more.

Zaporizhzhia regional chief Ivan Fedorov said the Sunday evening bombing killed a 71-year-old woman and wounded 31 people, including a 16-year-old girl. He said 22 apartment buildings in four districts of the city were damaged. In Russia, Krasnodar governor Veniamin Kondratyev said 40 other people were wounded in Arkhipo-Osipovka. Crimea's Russian-installed head, Sergei Aksyonov, said three people were killed and two wounded in the overnight attack, without giving details. Neither side's claims could be independently verified.

In a speech to Ukrainian diplomats, Zelenskyy said Ukraine's wartime advances in long-range drone technology had opened the way for defence partnerships. Under the agreements, he said, Ukraine would get long-term funding for its defence industry while partner countries would gain new defence capabilities. Referring to Kyiv's use of long-range strike drones, he said: "We will work very hard to make that happen this fall."

Zelenskyy also said Ukraine wanted tougher international sanctions on Moscow and tighter enforcement of existing measures to stop Russian companies from using loopholes. He announced that Rustem Umerov, who has been involved in diplomatic efforts with the United States to end the war, would head the Foreign Intelligence Service.

Russia has used glide bombs against Ukrainian towns and cities since invading its neighbour more than four years ago. The Soviet-era bombs have been fitted with guidance systems and can carry up to 3,000 kilograms of explosives, leaving huge craters. Ukraine has no effective countermeasures. While Russian forces control the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and other parts of the region, the regional capital remains under Ukrainian control. Zaporizhzhia is one of four regions, along with Donetsk, Kherson and Luhansk, that Russia illegally annexed in September 2022 despite not fully controlling them.

Late on Sunday, Zelenskyy renewed his appeal for more US-made Patriot air defence systems, saying only Patriot interceptors could reliably stop ballistic missiles. He said shortages had been worsened by the Iran war. "The United States knows what we need. Europe knows what we need. Anti-ballistic missiles must protect people - not sit in stockpiles," he wrote on social media.

US President Donald Trump said last week he had not made a final decision on allowing Ukraine to produce Patriots under licence, appearing to step back from an earlier commitment. Zelenskyy has also suggested that Elon Musk allow Ukraine to use Starlink satellites to target ballistic missile launch sites inside Russia, though officials have not publicly said whether that is under consideration.

Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 181 long-range drones overnight from Sunday to Monday. It said 163 were jammed or intercepted, but 14 caused damage at 13 locations. Separately, the Russian Defence Ministry said its forces struck four bulk carriers carrying cargo for the Ukrainian armed forces, including three in the Black Sea and one in the port of Mykolaiv, but it gave no further details.

Ukraine also reported more long-range drone strikes inside Russia. A warehouse belonging to Wildberries, Russia's biggest online shopping company, caught fire in the Vladimir region east of Moscow, the company said. Governor Alexander Avdeyev said three people were injured. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian drones also hit the Saratov oil refinery, the Engels military air base near Saratov, and fuel storage tanks at the Lyudinovskaya oil depot in Russia's Kaluga region. Russia's Defence Ministry said its air defences intercepted 131 Ukrainian drones overnight over several regions, as well as Crimea and the Black Sea.

The latest attacks underlined the widening reach of the war, with Russia using glide bombs and drones against Ukrainian cities while Kyiv pressed ahead with long-range strikes inside Russia and sought stronger support from its partners.

With PTI Inputs

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