Brief
Russian drones kill civilians as Ukraine reports battlefield gains
A week of UN talks has not halted a relentless drone campaign that has cost civilians lives and the Ukrainian army claims a significant territorial advance.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Russian drones have struck Ukrainian territory again, killing at least three civilians and wounding 41 others, officials said on Monday. The attacks came after a week of diplomatic activity at the United Nations aimed at negotiating an end to Moscow’s invasion that began 4½ years ago.
In the same period, Ukraine’s Third Army Corps announced that it had recaptured 51 square kilometres (20 square miles) of land from Russian forces, bringing the total area reclaimed since the start of the current offensive to 176 square kilometres (68 square miles). The operation, codenamed Operation Vivaldi, is part of a broader push along the 1,250‑kilometre (800‑mile) front line.
To breach Russian defences, Ukrainian troops reportedly converted Soviet‑era BTR‑60 armoured personnel carriers into kamikaze vehicles that detonated against the strongest Russian fortifications. Ground robots were also deployed to target Russian positions.
Russian officials have not commented on the Ukrainian claim. Meanwhile, the Russian Defence Ministry said its troops had captured the villages of Novovodiane in the Donetsk region and Ulanove in the northern Sumy region.
Earlier this month, a Russian drone struck a minibus in Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk region, killing five and wounding seven, a pattern of civilian‑targeted attacks that has continued across Ukraine. President Zelenskyy has condemned such strikes as atrocities and called for international support to replace damaged infrastructure.
Key facts
- Russian drones killed at least three civilians and wounded 41 others (winnipegfreepress.com)
- Ukraine’s Third Army Corps recaptured 51 km² in Donetsk (independent.co.uk)
- Operation Vivaldi is a Ukrainian offensive along a 1,250‑km front line (independent.co.uk)
- Russian Defence Ministry claimed capture of Novovodiane and Ulanove (independent.co.uk)
Background
Earlier Felo coverage noted a 2026‑09‑16 drone strike on a minibus near Nikopol that killed five civilians and wounded seven, illustrating the ongoing pattern of civilian casualties amid the conflict.
Why it matters
The continued use of drones against civilian areas raises international humanitarian concerns and underscores the difficulty of protecting non‑combatants in an active conflict zone.
What happens next
Ukraine has called for more Patriot air defence systems, while the UN continues to seek a negotiated settlement to the war.
