Russian forces launched a ballistic missile attack on the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv early Sunday morning, injuring at least five people—three men and two women—who were subsequently transported to nearby hospitals for medical treatment. This strike is part of a broader series of assaults that have targeted over ten cities across Ukraine, contributing to a grim toll of at least ten fatalities and over seventy injuries reported by officials over the past 24 hours.

Ukraine's Air Force reported that Moscow initiated a massive barrage involving hundreds of drones and missiles. Aerial defenses detected a significant influx of at least 268 drones entering Ukrainian airspace from Saturday into early Sunday, successfully intercepting 249 of them. Despite these efforts, nineteen Iranian-made Shahed strike UAVs and one ballistic missile managed to hit their intended targets, impacting fifteen different locations throughout the country.

The widespread attacks had severe regional consequences. In the eastern Donbas region, specifically in Dobropillia and Mykolaivka in Donetsk, two individuals were killed, with an additional nine injured in separate attacks across the region, which remains the most active frontline of the conflict. Further south, the Zaporizhzhia region experienced two fatalities and five injuries, including a child. Kherson also suffered deeply, with three people killed as Russian forces deliberately targeted residential areas in 39 settlements within the region.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has intensified its counter-operations, systematically targeting Russian oil infrastructure. These efforts span both ground-based facilities, such as refineries and depots, and maritime assets. Kyiv announced a recent successful strike on two Russian oil vessels, which are suspected to be integral components of the Kremlin’s sanctions-evading “shadow fleet.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed these maritime strikes, stating that the two vessels were hit early Sunday “at the entrance to the port of Novorossiysk” in the Black Sea. He emphasized that these tankers, previously active in transporting oil, would no longer serve that purpose, adding a firm message on X: “Ukraine’s long-range capabilities will continue to be developed comprehensively – at sea, in the air, and on land. Glory to Ukraine!” The port of Novorossiysk has become a recurring target for Ukrainian forces, gaining strategic importance as one of Moscow’s primary operational bases following Kyiv's persistent attacks on the annexed Crimean Peninsula. It is now considered a crucial oil, military, and logistical hub, and a central point for Russia's shadow fleet activities.