Russia, Ukraine escalate mutual aerial strikes

At least five people were killed and 11 injured across Ukraine in Russian attacks on Wednesday, August 19, as both sides in the war escalated aerial assaults, with Ukrainian forces launching hundreds of drones at the Moscow region and Russia striking civilian areas in a relentless cycle of retaliation.

The deadliest incident on Wednesday occurred in the frontline city of Kherson, where a Russian drone struck a bus carrying passengers. Kherson regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported that at least four people were killed and four others wounded in the attack, which took place around 8:50 a.m. local time. Prokudin shared images of a damaged yellow bus with shattered windows and bloodied steps. In a separate attack in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, regional Governor Ivan Fedorov said one person was killed and seven injured after Russian drones damaged residential and non-residential buildings, sparking a fire.

These strikes followed a significant barrage the day before. On Tuesday, August 18, Russian missiles hit the village of Pechenihy in the northeastern Kharkiv region, killing at least 10 civilians and wounding 18 others, according to Kharkiv Governor Oleg...