Story perspectives

Russia hits Odesa train and Kryvyi Rih mall with drones

8/25/2026

Center

Russia Drone Assault

Russia launched a drone assault on Ukraine Saturday night, striking a passenger train near Odesa and a shopping mall in Kryvyi Rih.
President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine’s long-range drone attacks have ‘opened Pandora’s box’ and are intended to damage Russia’s economy.
Ukrainian military reported 127 drones launched, with 27 breaching air defenses.
Ukraine’s Crimea attack destroyed a Su-24M jet after mall strike killed 16 and injured 140.

Left

Russia Drone Assault

Russia launched a drone assault on Ukraine Saturday night, hitting a passenger train near Odesa and a shopping mall in Kryvyi Rih.
President Vladimir Putin signed a decree letting the state seize critical infrastructure, transferring ownership to the Federal Agency for State Property Management.
Ukrainian drones damaged Wildberries and Ozon warehouses, causing billions in losses.
Repeated attacks forced the Perm oil refinery to halt, deepening fuel shortages across Russian regions.

History

Historical Context

In 2009, the Pakistani Taliban insurgency counted among 36 intrastate conflicts worldwide, underscoring a surge in non-state violence. That year’s focus on aerial attacks set a precedent that Russia invoked in 2024, citing drone attacks on Odesa and Kryvyi Rih to legitimize shifting infrastructure to a state-owned agency and broader asset nationalization.

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Russia Drone Assault

Russia launched a drone assault on Ukraine Saturday night, striking a passenger train near Odesa and a shopping mall in Kryvyi Rih.
President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine’s long-range drone attacks have ‘opened Pandora’s box’ and are intended to damage Russia’s economy.
Ukrainian military reported 127 drones launched, with 27 breaching air defenses.
Ukraine’s Crimea attack destroyed a Su-24M jet after mall strike killed 16 and injured 140.

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