BRYANSK, Russia – A Ukrainian drone strike has killed three rail workers in Russia’s Bryansk region, marking the latest in a series of cross-border attacks since the start of the war.
The strike hit a locomotive at Unika station, situated near the borders with Ukraine and Belarus. Russian authorities said the attack targeted civilian areas and caused significant damage in the region, which has frequently come under drone and cross-border incursions throughout the conflict.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that its forces intercepted more than 100 Ukrainian drones across 12 regions, including the Moscow area.
On the front lines in Donetsk, Ukrainian soldiers described an intense daily battle against Russian aerial assets. One soldier said, “Right now, we might shoot down three, four Mavic drones a day. And the same goes for FPV drones. That’s just in a single day. We’re learning, analyzing, taking action, and trying to anticipate the behavior and routes of the enemy’s aerial assets, and it’s paying off.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a direct warning to Belarus following joint nuclear drills conducted by Russia and Belarus on Thursday.
“We have the capability to strengthen our defenses. We also have the capability to act preventively with regard to Russian territory from which threats may emerge, and with regard to the de facto leadership of Belarus which must stay on its toes,” Zelenskyy said. “That is, clearly understand that there will be consequences if aggressive actions against Ukraine, against our people, are taken.”
Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko responded by ruling out his country’s voluntary entry into the war. “If we are drawn into a war, including against Ukraine, it will only be in one case – if they commit aggression against us,” Lukashenko said. “We have no intention of getting drawn into a war in Ukraine, and there is no need for that.”
Separately, Lithuania and Latvia reported drones entering their airspace, prompting NATO fighter jets to scramble. Ukraine’s long-range drone campaign has increasingly reached into the Baltic region, raising tensions across NATO’s eastern flank.
