Russia, Ukraine Escalate Drone and Missile Strikes

Russia and Ukraine intensified long-range drone and missile attacks, with Ukraine launching a barrage of more than 1,000 drones against Russia, including strikes on oil refineries and other infrastructure. Russian officials said they downed 244 Ukrainian drones, while Ukrainian officials said they shot down or suppressed 148 Russian drones. Russian strikes hit Zaporizhzhia and other Ukrainian regions, damaging homes, apartment buildings, a university and commercial sites and killing at least four people. The attacks caused civilian casualties and infrastructure damage on both sides and raised concerns about Russian refining capacity, diesel supplies and global energy prices. The escalation came as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to New York for the U.N. General Assembly, where he was expected to meet President Donald Trump and seek support for ending the war, protecting Ukraine’s energy system and keeping Black Sea exports open. France offered additional radar systems, while French and U.S. officials discussed possible pauses in attacks on energy infrastructure and Black Sea shipping, but no broader diplomatic breakthrough was reported.