Elsewhere in Ukraine, two 15-year-old girls were killed in a Russian missile strike in the northern city of Chernihiv, and three more civilians died in a drone attack on residential buildings in Kremenchuk. In total, 56 people were injured across the attacks, including 10 children. Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi condemned the strikes, calling them deliberate acts of terror against civilians.

Despite the attacks, a six-day ceasefire in the southern city of Oleshky, brokered with U.S. assistance, was holding into its third day. Ukrainian ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets confirmed that no violations had been reported, and humanitarian aid was set to arrive the following day. Russian officials also confirmed the truce was holding and that demining operations were underway to prepare for aid deliveries and potential evacuations.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy criticized the recent U.S.-Russia deal that eased some sanctions on Moscow, allowing the import of Russian diesel into the U.S. He called for stronger sanctions from the U.S., Europe, and the G7. Meanwhile, Russian officials denied targeting civilians and claimed their attacks on infrastructure were aimed at disrupting the movement of Ukrainian military personnel and equipment.

Russian and Ukrainian officials confirmed that residents of Oleshky would be allowed to evacuate to either Russia or Ukraine, though the logistics of how this would work remained unclear. A volunteer from Oleshky, Ksenia Arkhipova, said around 1,000 residents wanted to leave the city. Ukrainian officials emphasized the importance of their presence in Oleshky to protect residents from potential Russian identification of pro-Ukrainian sympathizers.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed to have shot down 1,214 Ukrainian drones overnight, with half heading toward Moscow. The Russian capital’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said the city had launched an air defense operation during the Russia-Africa Summit. Moscow has consistently denied targeting civilians, despite mounting evidence of attacks on residential areas and public transport.