Two people die at Moldovan border crossing as drone war rages

Russian drones struck the Starokozache crossing, stranding the border near Kyiv, and killed two residents. The crossing, which links Ukraine and Moldova, was closed after the attack, with officials describing burnt‑out cars amid debris at the scene.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strike and called for international support, saying the aggression must stop before it expands further.

Kyiv reported a separate incident where a nine‑storey residential house was hit by a Russian drone, killing a woman and injuring 14 people, including two children.

In Russia, officials said a Ukrainian drone killed four people – one a child – in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk and damaged a church and a preschool. The same drone force struck an industrial facility in the Arctic city of Novy Urengoy, but no casualties were reported there.

Russian forces claim to have shot down 596 Ukrainian drones overnight, highlighting the scale of the conflict that has seen long‑range attacks surge, despite diplomatic talks aimed at peace.

A recent phone conversation between President Putin and former U.S. President Trump called for a dialogue, but the Kremlin remains reluctant to set a specific date.

Burned cars at the Starokozache border crossing