Ukraine drone attack kills 7 in Russian-held territory in new escalation

At least seven people have been killed after a drone hit a bus in the Russian-controlled Donetsk region of Ukraine, as both sides escalate attacks.

The Russian-installed head of the region, Denis Pushilin, said on the Telegram messaging platform on Wednesday that the bus was travelling between Moscow and Simferopol in Crimea.

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“A further 11 people sustained injuries of varying severity, and all are receiving the necessary medical care,” he added.

Russia’s state news agency Tass reported that the Investigative Committee has opened a criminal investigation under the category of “terrorist attack”, according to its spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko.

Meanwhile, the governor of St Petersburg said Ukrainian drones hit infrastructure in several districts, causing damage and wounding several people, as Russian President Vladimir Putin hosts the “Russian Davos” economic forum in the city.

According to Leningrad Governor Alexander Drozdenko, on Wednesday morning, 50 drones had been shot down over the region overnight, and suspected attacks were continuing to be repelled.

Drones also hit the city of Michurinsk in the central Russian Tambov region, Governor Yevgeny Pervyshov said, adding that outbuildings at an industrial facility, an apartment building and a library were damaged.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence reported that overnight, 354 Ukrainian drones were “intercepted and destroyed” over multiple regions.

The attacks come a day after Ukraine’s air force reported that Moscow had launched 656 drones throughout the night and into Tuesday morning.

According to the air force, 54 drones and 33 missiles had passed through its multilayered air defence system. At least 23 people were killed in the attacks, according to local authorities.

Russia has said its barrage of attacks on Tuesday was in response to a deadly attack on a dormitory in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region two weeks ago.