Kathmandu— At least five people were killed Saturday in a series of attacks between Russian and Ukrainian forces, officials reported. Three deaths occurred in Ukraine due to Russian drone and missile strikes targeting railway infrastructure in Kyiv and a village in the Zaporizhzhia region, while two children died in Russia’s Krasnodar region following a Ukrainian drone strike. These exchanges follow a Friday attack on a shopping center in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, which claimed 16 lives.

Escalating Attacks on Kyiv

Moscow has recently increased its ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv, taking advantage of a shortage of U.S.-made Patriot air defense interceptors within Ukraine’s arsenal. One person was killed and another wounded when ballistic missiles struck railway infrastructure in the capital overnight, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while Russia's Defense Ministry claimed they hit a locomotive depot. The Kyiv region also experienced a fatality Saturday afternoon due to a Russian ballistic missile strike. These attacks add to a pattern of repeated strikes on the capital in recent weeks; 17 people were killed in a similar attack just over two weeks ago, and nine died in another two days prior.

Kryvyi Rih Shopping Center Strike

The city of Kryvyi Rih, President Zelenskyy’s hometown, was struck by Russian drones on Friday, resulting in 16 deaths and nine people remaining missing as of Saturday morning. Dnipropetrovsk regional head Oleksandr Hanzha reported that another 130 individuals were wounded in the attack, which spread across approximately 97,000 square feet. Zelenskyy described the incident as a “double-tap” strike, where an initial wave of drones was followed by a second targeting rescue workers.

Ukrainian Strikes on Russian Territory

While facing intensified attacks, Ukraine has also been conducting long-range drone strikes within Russia, targeting oil facilities and causing fuel shortages. These strikes have extended to civilian infrastructure, including warehouses belonging to Wildberries, the country’s largest online retailer. The Russian news outlet Astra reported Saturday that a Ukrainian drone ignited an oil refinery in the Samara region, with local officials confirming damage at an industrial facility and a logistics center for Ozon, a competitor to Wildberries.

Rescue efforts are ongoing in Kryvyi Rih as authorities continue to assess the full extent of the damage. The escalating cycle of attacks highlights the continued intensity of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

(With inputs from RN)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.