KYIV, SEPTEMBER 18 : Russian missile and drone strikes injured at least 19 people, including two children, in Ukraine's capital Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight, Ukrainian authorities said.
Kyiv's military administration said the attacks hit more than 10 locations in the capital, while around 33 sites were damaged across the wider Kyiv region. A 10-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy were among those injured.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces also carried out overnight strikes on targets inside Russia, including an oil refinery in Yaroslavl and a military airfield in the Rostov region.
The Ukrainian Air Force said it destroyed or suppressed 131 Russian aerial targets during the overnight assault across the Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia and Odesa regions. The attack involved ballistic and cruise missiles, drones and decoys.
Seven Injured In Odesa
In Odesa, seven people, including two children, were injured, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service. Several floors of a residential building were damaged, while a private house was destroyed and other buildings suffered damage.
Regional authorities also reported that a Russian drone struck a civilian vessel flying the Tanzanian flag in the Black Sea. Odesa regional head Oleh Kiper said the ship's captain was killed and three crew members were injured. The vessel's superstructure and deck were damaged.
Drone Incident Near Polish Border
A drone also struck a petrol station near Ukraine's border with Poland, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
A Polish military spokesperson said air defences were activated after a jet-powered drone approached Polish airspace. The drone reportedly exploded around four kilometres from the Polish border.
The incident comes days after two Russian drones struck near border crossings on the Polish-Ukrainian frontier, according to Polish authorities.
Peace Efforts Remain Stalled
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to end Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine remain stalled, with territorial concessions and security guarantees among the key unresolved issues.
US President Donald Trump recently said Russia and Ukraine had agreed to stop attacking each other's energy facilities. However, Zelenskyy said Ukraine would support such an arrangement only if Russia also stopped attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv was prepared to support a truce covering attacks on energy infrastructure and the Black Sea, but said there was no indication yet that Moscow was ready to agree to the same terms.
Sybiha also said Ukraine was preparing for a possible meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, with a potential energy and Black Sea truce among the issues under discussion.
Ukraine Reports Strikes Inside Russia
Zelenskyy said Ukraine's overnight operation against the Yaroslavl Oil Refinery involved the Security Service, special operations forces, military intelligence and the Foreign Intelligence Service.
He also said a military airfield in the Rostov region was targeted, with damage reported to several aircraft and helicopters.
Russia's Defence Ministry, meanwhile, said Russian forces had struck metallurgical and electronics plants, defence-industry facilities, as well as energy and transport infrastructure in Ukraine. Moscow also reported strikes on vessels and a ferry at the port of Chornomorsk.
Ukraine Receives Bodies Of 252 Soldiers
Separately, Ukraine received the bodies of 252 soldiers on Thursday as part of ongoing exchanges with Russia, according to the Ukrainian government agency responsible for prisoners of war.
The agency said the remains would undergo identification procedures.
US House Advances Russia Sanctions Package
Ukrainian officials also welcomed a vote in the US House of Representatives on a sanctions package targeting Russian officials and key sectors of the Russian economy.
Kyiv said the measures could increase economic pressure on Moscow and restrict resources available to support the war.
The legislation was among the initiatives associated with the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.
