Kanyshai Butun
February 23, 2026•Update: February 23, 2026
ISTANBUL
Russia and Ukraine on Monday accused each other of overnight airstrikes that killed three people and injured seven others.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that air defenses shot down 152 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 65 over the Belgorod region near the border with Ukraine.
Belgorod region Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said the overnight strike caused “significant damage” to energy infrastructure.
“Residents are experiencing power, water and heat outages. The full extent of the damage will be assessed during daylight hours,” he wrote on the Russian messaging app Max, adding that one woman was injured in the Yakovlevsky district.
Meanwhile, Ukraine accused Russia of launching a missile and 126 drones overnight, with 105 drones neutralized, according to a Ukrainian Air Force statement.
Oleg Kiper, head of the Odesa regional military administration, said on Telegram that two people were killed and at least three injured in Russian strikes on the port city, which also damaged industrial, energy and civilian infrastructure.
“The attack damaged production and warehouse premises, administrative buildings, an auto shop and vehicles,” he said, adding that one of the drones hit an apartment in a multi-story building but did not detonate.
According to Ivan Fedorov, head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, a strike in Zaporizhzhia damaged an industrial infrastructure facility, killing one person and injuring another.
In Kharkiv, two people were injured in a Russian attack, Oleg Sinegubov, head of the regional military administration, said in a statement published on Telegram.
Independent verification of claims from both Russia and Ukraine remains difficult due to the ongoing conflict.
