In Zaporizhzhia, two people died and one was injured when drones hit a residential area, regional head Ivan Fedorov said. In Kryvyi Rih, one person was killed and three wounded. Around Odesa, a massive attack left 35 people injured and destroyed the upper floors of a high‑rise apartment block.

The attacks are part of a broader Russian air campaign that relies on ballistic missiles and jet‑powered drones. Officials say the strikes also target Ukraine’s power grid, aiming to weaken civilian morale before the winter months.

Putin made the warning at the BRICS summit in India, telling reporters that any European deployment of troops to Ukraine would be “a war with Russia.” Moscow has repeatedly called the idea of European peacekeeping forces “unacceptable.”

The timing suggests the warning was not just rhetoric; the rapid escalation puts pressure on Kyiv and signals to Europe that involvement could bring immediate retaliation. It also shows how political statements can quickly translate into concrete military actions on the ground.