Russia kills eight people in Ukraine, attacks two vessels in Black Sea

Is the war entering a new phase? Russian forces have launched widespread missile, drone, and artillery attacks across Ukraine, causing civilian casualties while hitting regional infrastructure and commercial shipping in the Black Sea. Ukraine's Air Force on Saturday reported facing a huge overnight barrage involving 174 drones from across Russia and Ukraine's annexed Crimean Peninsula, alongside two Zircon antiship missiles launched from Russia's Kursk region. "Enemy [Zircon antiship] missiles did not reach the targets," it said. Meanwhile, Russia's Ministry of Defence claimed its forces used Geran-4 Seeker loitering drones to strike two commercial vessels in the Black Sea - a Ukrainian dry cargo ship en route to Odesa and a docked tanker in the port of Odesa - asserting that both ships were carrying military supplies. In the Kharkiv region, Governor Oleh Syniehubov confirmed Russian attacks spanning 14 settlements killed five people and injured 15 others, causing heavy destruction in towns like Balakliya and Lypkuvativka.