A Russian drone attack targeted a border crossing between Ukraine and Moldova, killing two people and injuring three others, while Russian drones also struck in Kyiv, as Moscow continues its campaign of near-continuous strikes across Ukraine.
The Russian attack on the Starokazache–Tudora border crossing in Ukraine's Odesa region on September 9 damaged checkpoint infrastructure, vehicles, and buildings, sparked a major fire, and forced the evacuation of 16 people, Ukraine's State Border Guard Service reported.
Moldovan authorities condemned the strike, and President Maia Sandu warned that Russian attacks pose a growing threat to Moldova.
"Russia's front line is moving further west -- which is why air defense for Ukraine is urgent," she wrote in a post on X.
Sandu said the border crossing had been closed following the attack.
The strike came a day after a Russian drone entered Moldovan airspace, prompting authorities to temporarily halt flights and delaying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's departure from the country for Norway.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store later said Zelenskyy's plane had been "almost hit by a drone" as it departed Moldova. But a Ukrainian presidential source described the suggestion that Zelenskyy had been in danger as "exaggerated" while Moldovan authorities said they had temporarily closed the country's airspace after detecting a Russian drone, delaying several flights, including Zelenskyy's. His plane was cleared to depart after the restrictions were lifted.
Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan noted in a post on Facebook that the Kremlin's war against Ukraine was "increasingly endangering the lives of our citizens as well."
In attacks on the Ukrainian capital, Russian drones killed one person and injured 17 others, according to Kyiv authorities. One drone struck a 24-story residential building, causing a fire.
Moscow has launched near-daily attacks on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure across the country using strike drones, missiles, and guided aerial bombs, underscoring its intent to press forward with the nearly 4 1/2-year full-scale war on Ukraine despite astronomical casualties.
Ukraine Hits Russia's Novorossiisk
Ukraine targeted the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiisk overnight, Ukrainian authorities reported on September 9.
"A naval base was hit, including a terminal used to load oil, military port facilities, and warships carrying Kalibr missiles," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, adding that Ukraine is responding effectively to "Russia's daily terrorist strikes."
Russian authorities confirmed the Ukrainian drone attack on Novorossiisk, reporting that four people, including a child, were killed, according to Krasnodar region Governor Veniamin Kondratyev.
Russia's Defense Ministry said on September 9 that its forces had downed 596 Ukrainian drones overnight, a day after Russia President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with US President Donald Trump, a conversation that the Kremlin described as "constructive and quite frank."
Washington has not yet commented on the call.
The attacks followed US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner's visit to Kyiv for talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other officials, after their earlier meetings in Moscow with President Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy, meanwhile, arrived in Canada late on September 9 following his visit to Norway, where he attended the funeral of King Harald V and held talks on air-defense support. His visit to Canada is expected to focus on defense, economic, and energy cooperation, according to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's office.
