Russia and Ukraine Exchange Series of Major Strikes
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Moscow faced a Ukrainian drone attack for the fifth night in a row, the city's mayor has said, as Russia launched yet another bombardment on Ukrainian infrastructure.
Video shared on social media showed chaos at Moscow's airports after the Ukrainian drone threat disrupted flight paths.
Meanwhile, at least one person was killed and several were injured in Ukraine's capital Kyiv following Moscow's latest bombardment.
Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian and Russian defense ministries for comment.
Why It Matters
Russia is showing no sign of letting up in its drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, despite President Volodymyr Zelensky's invitation to hold peace talks with Moscow in Turkey later this week.
Kyiv's use of drones on Russia follows a warning in May by Serhii Bratchuk, from the Ukrainian Defense Army's Southern Division, about Ukraine's plans to disrupt aviation to make the Russian population pay for Vladimir Putin's aggression.
People walk past wreckage near a metro station following a Russian attack in Kyiv on July 21, 2025.
People walk past wreckage near a metro station following a Russian attack in Kyiv on July 21, 2025.What To Know
Russia repeated its mass drone and missile attacks on Kyiv overnight Sunday in strikes which local authorities said killed at least one person and injured six.
Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 450 drones and missiles targeting Kyiv, the western city of Ivano-Frankivsk and Kharkiv.
Explosions rocked Kyiv in the early hours of Sunday, with outdoor kiosks burning and smoke pouring from the entrance of the damaged Lukianivska subway station.
In Ivano-Frankivsk, air defenses were deployed during what the city's mayor Ruslan Martsinkiv described as the largest attack on the western region since the start of the war.
Meanwhile, more than 230 Ukrainian drones had been shot down downed over Russia since Saturday morning, including 27 over the capital, according to Russia's defence ministry.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said the Russian capital faced a fifth night of Ukrainian drone attacks, but that the devices had been shot down by air defenses. Footage on social media showed debris hitting residential areas where several explosions were recorded.
Damage to a railway station in Kamenolomni, in the Rostov region further south caused by falling drone debris was also reported, causing hours-long train delays.
Russia was forced to temporarily close all four major airports in Moscow after Ukraine fired more than 230 drones over the weekend, officials said.
At least 140 flights were cancelled across Moscow following Ukraine's counterattack, which began Saturday morning, with 27 drones… pic.twitter.com/BjxVS74Q3K — CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) July 21, 2025
‼️🇺🇦✈️ Since this morning, Ukrainian drones have been attacking Moscow — reports indicate strikes and explosions have been heard in several locations. pic.twitter.com/ILI572C9BI — Visioner (@visionergeo) July 21, 2025
The threats posed by drones prompted restrictions to be imposed on flights from Moscow's Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports, according to Russia's state aviation agency Rosaviatsia.
Two other major airports in Moscow were also temporarily closed and at least 140 flights were cancelled as images on social media showed disgruntled passengers trapped at the crowded airports for up to 12 hours.
Open source intelligence X channel Visoner said Ukrainian forces had been launching waves of drones at various regions of Russia, including Moscow, with the aim of overloading Russian air defense systems.
What People Are Saying
Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky said: "Russian strikes are always an assault on humanity."
Moscow's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin: "Two drones attacking Moscow were shot down. Emergency service specialists are working at the crash site."
What Happens Next
After months of facing increased attacks by Russia on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Ukraine's military appears to have intensified efforts in targeting Russia's capital.
Meanwhile, despite Zelensky's offer for talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said "the main thing for us is to achieve our goals". These include Ukraine withdrawing from Russia-annexed regions and abandoning its aspirations to join Nato – terms that Kyiv and its Western allies have rejected.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
White House Responds After Judge Blocks Trump Birthright Citizenship Order
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The White House issued a defiant statement on Friday after a judge blocked President Donald Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship, marking the third time a court has done so since a critical Supreme Court ruling in June. Why It Matters Trump's executive action seeks to prevent children born on U.S. soil from automatically receiving citizenship if neither parent was an American citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of birth. The Supreme Court in June blocked judges from issuing nationwide injunctions against Trump's order, though it left an exception for class-action lawsuits, which multiple plaintiffs subsequently filed. President Donald Trump faces the media after arriving at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire, Scotland, on July 25. President Donald Trump faces the media after arriving at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire, Scotland, on July 25. Jacquelyn Martin/AP What To Know U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin ruled on Friday that the nationwide injunction he granted to more than a dozen states who sued over the order is still in effect because "no workable, narrower alternative" would give the plaintiffs relief. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told the Associated Press that the administration expects to be "vindicated on appeal." "These courts are misinterpreting the purpose and the text of the 14th Amendment," Jackson told the news outlet. Lawyers representing the Trump administration argued in the case that Sorokin should narrow the reach of his earlier ruling granting the plaintiffs a preliminary injunction. But Sorokin pushed back, taking aim at the Trump administration for failing to explain how a narrower injunction would work in practice. "That is, they have never addressed what renders a proposal feasible or workable, how the defendant agencies might implement it without imposing material administrative or financial burdens on the plaintiffs, or how it squares with other relevant federal statutes," Sorokin wrote. "In fact, they have characterized such questions as irrelevant to the task the Court is now undertaking. The defendants' position in this regard defies both law and logic." The New Jersey federal judge also wrote that he has "no doubt the Supreme Court will ultimately settle the question" of whether Trump's order is constitutional. "But in the meantime, for purposes of this lawsuit at this juncture, the Executive Order is unconstitutional." Sorokin's is the third court to block or uphold a block on Trump's order since last month's Supreme Court ruling that carved out an exception for the class-action challenges. Earlier this week, a U.S. appeals court ruled that Trump's executive order was unconstitutional and upheld a lower-court decision that blocked its nationwide enforcement. A federal judge in New Hampshire also blocked the order from going into effect nationwide in a ruling earlier this month. The judge in that case, Joseph LaPlante, paused his decision to give the administration a chance to appeal. But it did not do so, meaning his order went into effect last week. What People Are Saying Sorokin said in his 23-page ruling on Friday: "Despite the defendants' chosen path, the Court — aided substantially by the plaintiffs' meticulous factual and legal submissions — undertook the review required of it by [June's Supreme Court ruling] and considered anew whether its original order swept too broadly." He added: "After careful consideration of the law and the facts, the Court answers that question in the negative." New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, who led the case before Sorokin, said in a statement: "American-born babies are American, just as they have been at every other time in our Nation's history. The President cannot change that legal rule with the stroke of a pen." What Happens Next The case will almost certainly make its way back up to the Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority and has handed the Trump administration more than a dozen critical victories so far this year.
NBC News
2 hours ago
- NBC News
Tens of thousands flee their homes as Thailand and Cambodia clash
SURIN, Thailand — Tens of thousands of people sought refuge as border fighting between Thailand and Cambodia entered its third day Saturday, heightening fears of an extended conflict with the total death toll reaching 32. The U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting behind closed doors late Friday in New York, while Malaysia, which chairs the 10-nation regional bloc that includes both countries, called for an end to hostilities and offered to mediate. The council did not issue a statement but a council diplomat said all 15 members called on the parties to deescalate, show restraint and resolve the dispute peacefully. The council also urged the regional bloc, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations known as ASEAN, to help resolve the border fighting, the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the meeting was private. Cambodia's U.N. Ambassador Chhea Keo told reporters afterward that his country, which called for the emergency meeting, 'asked for immediate ceasefires, unconditionally, and we also call for the peaceful solution to the dispute.' He responded to accusations that Cambodia attacked Thailand asking how a small country with no air force could attack a much larger country with an army three times its size, stressing, 'We do not do that.' Calls for restraint Keo said the Security Council called for both sides to exercise 'maximum restraint and resort to diplomatic solution' which is what Cambodia is calling for as well. Asked what he expects next, the ambassador said: 'Let's see how the call can be heard by all the members there.' Thailand's U.N. ambassador left the meeting without stopping to talk to reporters. The Thai Health Ministry on Friday said more than 58,000 have fled from villages to temporary shelters in four affected border provinces, while Cambodian authorities said more than 23,000 people have evacuated from areas near the border. The latest flare-up in a long-running border dispute between the two countries has killed at least 19 people in Thailand — mostly civilians —while Cambodia said Saturday that 12 people more people have killed on its side, bringing its death toll to 13. Thailand's acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, said Friday that Cambodia may be guilty of war crimes due to the deaths of civilians and damage caused to a hospital. He said Thailand had exercised the 'utmost restraint and patience in the face of provocations and aggression' from Cambodia. Tensions over a disputed border area erupted into fighting after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers on Wednesday. Clashes break out The Thai military reported clashes early Friday in multiple areas along the border, including near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple claimed by both sides. Associated Press reporters near the border could hear sounds of artillery from early morning hours. The Thai army said Cambodian forces had used heavy artillery and Russian-made BM-21 rocket launchers, prompting what Thai officials described as 'appropriate supporting fire' in return. Thailand said six of its soldiers and 13 civilians were killed while 29 soldiers and 30 civilians were wounded. Early Saturday, Cambodian Gen. Maly Socheata, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, told reporters Saturday that seven more civilians and five soldiers have died from two days of fighting. It earlier reported one fatality — a man who was killed when the pagoda he was hiding in got hit by Thai rockets. The Cambodian Education Ministry claimed that on Friday two Thai rockets had hit a school compound in Oddar Meanchey but caused no injuries. It said all schools in the province have been closed. The Thai army denied it targeted civilian sites in Cambodia, and accused Cambodia of using 'human shields' by positioning their weapons near residential areas. Thousands flee villages As the fighting intensified, villagers on both sides have been caught in the crossfire, leading many to flee. Around 600 people took shelter at a gymnasium in a university in Surin, Thailand, about 50 miles from the border. Evacuees sat in groups, on mats and blankets, and queued for food and drinks. Seamstress Pornpan Sooksai was accompanied by four cats in two fabric carriers. She said she was doing laundry at her home near Ta Muen Thom temple when shelling began Thursday. 'I just heard, boom, boom. We already prepared the cages, clothes and everything, so we ran and carried our things to the car. I was frightened, scared,' she recalled. Rattana Meeying, another evacuee, said she had also lived through the 2011 clashes between the two countries but described this flare-up as worse. 'Children, old people, were hit out of the blue,' she said. 'I never imagined it would be this violent.' At the nearby Phanom Dong Rak hospital, periodic explosions could be heard Friday, and a military truck arrived with three injured Thai soldiers, including one who had both legs severed. Thursday's shelling shattered windows at one of the hospital's buildings and damaged its roof. In the neighboring Sisaket province, more villagers took their belongings and left homes in a stream of cars, trucks and motorbikes after they received an evacuation order on Friday. Across the border in Cambodia, villages on the outskirts of Oddar Meanchey province were largely deserted. Homes stood locked, while chickens and dogs roamed outside. Some villagers earlier dug holes to create makeshift underground bunkers, covering them with wood, tarpaulin and zinc sheets to shield themselves from shelling. Families with children were seen packing their belongings on home-made tractors to evacuate, though a few men refused to leave. A remote Buddhist temple surrounded by rice fields accommodated several hundred evacuated villagers. Women rested in hammocks, some cradling babies, while children ran about. Makeshift plastic tents were being set up under the trees. Veng Chin, 74, pleaded with both governments to negotiate a settlement 'so that I can return to my home and work on the farm.'
Forbes
4 hours ago
- Forbes
Friday, July 25. Russia's War On Ukraine: News And Information From Ukraine
KHARKIV, UKRAINE - JULY 24: A firefighter extinguishes wreckage of cars in a yard of residential ... More buildings where people gather after Russian shelling on July 24, 2025 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Russian army hit a residential area in the Kharkiv centre with two guided bombs. According to the city authorities, one of the hits occurred near a high-rise residential building; people are trapped under the rubble. The second hit was on a civilian enterprise, where a fire broke out. Dozens of people are known to have been injured because of Russian airstrikes on the city. At least 10 houses were damaged because of the hits, and about 15 cars were burning at the site. (Photo by Liubov Yemets/Gwara Media/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images) Dispatches from Ukraine. Day 1,248. Between July 21-24, Russian strikes across Ukraine killed at least 12 civilians and injured more than 120 others. In the eastern Donetsk oblast, or province, systematic shelling and glide bombs killed six non-combatants and wounded 44 others. In northeastern Kharkiv oblast, Russian glide bomb and drone strikes killed at least three residents and injured more than 50 others. In southern Kherson oblast, drone attacks killed two civilians and injured 22 people, including two children, while in the capital, Kyiv, one individual was reported dead, with nine others injured. Government Bid to End Anti-Corruption Agencies' Independence Sparks First Wartime Protests in Ukraine On July 22, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed controversial legislation that would de facto place the country's independent anti-corruption bodies under government control. Passed in a rushed parliamentary vote, the law would effectively strip independence from two key institutions established after 2014 to combat corruption: the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO). It brings their investigative functions under the oversight of the prosecutor general, a direct presidential appointee. Critics of the law argue that the prosecutor general is not a politically neutral figure and could be sensitive to pressure against launching investigations into members of the political elite close to President Zelenskyy. The adoption of the legislation followed raids on NABU offices, which, according to the institution, were carried out without court warrants. Ukrainian government officials defended the new law, citing concerns over Russian influence within NABU, which was allegedly unearthed by Ukraine's security services. 'The anti-corruption infrastructure will work, only without Russian influence – it needs to be cleared of that,' said Volodynyr Zelenskyy in his evening address on Telegram. Civil society, however, widely dismissed these claims, especially since the legislation was backed by lawmakers linked to pro-Russian factions in Ukraine's parliament. The apparent crackdown triggered the largest domestic protests since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Three days of peaceful demonstrations erupted in at least 16 Ukrainian cities, including key regional capitals such as Kharkiv, Dnipro and Lviv. The largest protests occurred in Kyiv, with attendance estimated at 1,000 to 5,000 participants. Footage circulated on Ukrainian media showed the main square near Kyiv's government quarter filled with protesters. One sign read, 'My father didn't die for this,' a rebuke against what many see as the rollback of anti-corruption reforms. In addition to outcry from Ukrainian society, Western allies immediately raised alarms about the law. Ambassadors of the G7 countries in Kyiv issued a joint statement expressing concern; the European Commission spokesperson, meanwhile, warned the law could jeopardize Ukraine's path toward EU accession since funding from Brussels is 'conditional on [Ukraine's] progress on transparency, judicial reform and democratic government.' The legislation was similarly met with concern from U.S. lawmakers. In a rare bipartisan joint statement, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat, and Lindsey Graham, a Republican, applauded Ukraine's efforts to tackle corruption, even while under Russian attack, and expressed 'fear this law undermines much of that [anti-corruption]In response to strong domestic and international criticism, President Zelenskyy is set to propose a bill that will decrease Russian influence while maintaining the anti-corruption agencies' independence. NABU has already stated that this bill 'restores all procedural powers and guarantees of independence' for the anti-corruption institutions. Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks Russia and Ukraine agreed to a prisoner exchange during the latest talks in Istanbul, Turkey, on July 23. However, the meeting, which was initiated by Kyiv and lasted less than an hour, failed to yield progress on a ceasefire or a summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukraine's negotiator, former defense minister Rustem Umerov, proposed such a summit by the end of August and suggested it may also include U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. However, Russia's lead delegate, Vladimir Medinsky, said such a meeting should only occur to sign an agreement. The two sides remain divided on ceasefire terms. Ukraine demands an unconditional halt to fighting; Russia, on the other hand, refuses a ceasefire due its ability to press its current battlefield advantage and a benign stance from President Trump; although his position appears to have shifted somewhat against Russia recently. Despite the stalemate in negotiations, the countries agreed to swap circa 500 prisoners-of-war and plan a larger exchange of 1,200 soldiers soon. Culture Front. A new documentary executive produced by world-renowned ballerina Misty Copeland premiered Tuesday night at a sold-out screening at Village East by Angelika in New York City. Titled Match in a Haystack, the feature-length film follows a group of Ukrainian female dancers as they attempt to stage their first performance since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Directed by five-time Emmy Award-winner Joe Hill, Match in a Haystack offers an intimate and urgent portrayal of art as survival — capturing the intersection of war, memory, and creative resistance. The film highlights the physical and emotional journey of artists determined to preserve identity and expression amid destruction. 'This film is a love letter to courage, to movement, and to the enduring role of artistry in the face of crisis,' said Hill during a post-screening Q&A alongside Copeland. The two were joined onstage by producer Stefanie Noll, director of photography Nathaniel Brown, editor Arielle Sherman, and Ukrainian-American composer Katya Richardson, whose original score adds emotional weight to the story. Following its New York premiere, Match in a Haystack is expected to screen at festivals and special events throughout the U.S. and internationally in the coming months. Ukrainian artist collective Open Group brings the sounds of war to Manhattan's High Line in their haunting video installation Repeat After Me (2024), screening daily after 5 PM through September 7 at 14th Street. Originally presented at the Polish Pavilion of the 2024 Venice Biennale, the work features Ukrainian civilians recalling the sounds of weapons they heard before fleeing their homes—then asking viewers to repeat those sounds back. Founded in 2012, Open Group's current members — Yuriy Biley, Pavlo Kovach, and Anton Varga — use collaborative formats to confront political and social rupture. By Danylo Nosov, Karina L. Tahiliani
