Kyiv and Moscow intensified overnight strikes as Ukraine advanced toward European Union membership. Local authorities reported nine injuries in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast after Russian drones and aerial bombs targeted three districts. One man remains in critical condition.
In retaliation, Ukrainian drone attacks hit the Temryuk district in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai, killing one person and wounding three. Falling debris ignited a fire at a sea terminal, prompting a massive response from 96 firefighters.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Russian forces launched nearly 530 drones and two guided missiles against Ukraine this week. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 110 Shahed drones on Friday alone. Kyiv has increasingly targeted Russian energy infrastructure, recently striking oil refineries in Samara and Vladimir regions, alongside a military plant in Cheboksary.
Simultaneously, the European Commission announced that EU member states agreed to open the first cluster of membership negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated the Intergovernmental Conference would commence Monday, focusing on fundamental reforms.
This diplomatic milestone comes despite Kremlin warnings. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov characterized Moldova’s alignment with Brussels as a "serious mistake" and confrontational. The EU accession process underscores Kyiv’s strategic pivot toward Western security structures, a primary catalyst for Russia’s full-scale invasion initiated in February 2022.