A devastating night-time drone attack in northern Ukraine resulted in the death of a 16-year-old boy and injured four others. The assault damaged multiple homes and public buildings in Chernihiv.
Russian forces launched a staggering 236 drones against Ukrainian cities, with air defenses neutralizing 203. Despite these efforts, 18 sites were directly hit, and debris caused further damage in eight additional locations. Earlier on Friday, Russian drones struck a taxi in Kherson and damaged railway infrastructure in the Poltava region, leading to one fatality.
In response, Ukrainian forces conducted strikes on strategic Russian military targets. A facility belonging to Atlant Aero in Taganrog, Rostov region, a key defense enterprise involved in drone production, was hit, causing a significant fire. Rostov Governor Yuri Sliusar confirmed the rocket attack and reported three injuries, along with damage to commercial infrastructure and warehouses.
Ukrainian strikes also targeted a Russian ammunition depot near Trudove in the occupied Zaporizhzhia region. Equipment and supply depots were hit near Mangush, Topoline, and Mariupol in Donetsk, and in Smila, Zaporizhzhia. Tankers near Novopoltavka were also struck.
Ukrainian anti-drone forces reported a novel success, shooting down a 'Shahed' drone using an interceptor launched from an unmanned surface vessel.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sharply criticized the recent one-month waiver on US sanctions for Russian oil. He argued that "every dollar paid for Russian oil is money for Moscow's war" and cited over 110 tankers carrying Russian oil at sea, representing $10 billion that fuels new strikes against Ukraine. Zelenskyy urged a complete halt to Russian oil tanker access to ports and a decrease in its exports.
Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna, echoed these concerns, calling for the US administration to reinstate sanctions on Russian oil and petroleum products, warning that Russia must not profit from its alliances.