Russia launched 273 drones at Ukraine overnight Friday into Saturday, killing at least five people and injuring several others, Ukrainian authorities reported. Ukrainian air defenses successfully intercepted or electronically jammed 252 of the attacking drones.

The heaviest casualties occurred in the Black Sea port city of Odesa, where two people were killed and at least 11 injured in nighttime strikes. The attack damaged a maternity hospital, private residences, port facilities, and critical infrastructure, according to regional head Serhii Lysak. Two additional fatalities were reported in Kryvyi Rih after a drone struck an industrial facility, while one person was killed in the Poltava region during attacks on industrial sites.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strikes as targeting civilian areas without military purpose. Speaking from an unannounced visit to the United Arab Emirates, Zelenskyy characterized the Odesa attack as involving more than 60 drones and constituting "pure terror against ordinary civilian life."

During his Gulf visit, Zelenskyy met with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Qatari officials to discuss defense cooperation. The meetings focused on Ukraine's assistance to Middle Eastern countries in countering Iranian drone attacks, building on previous agreements with five regional nations including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan.

Ukraine has developed expertise in drone defense technology during its conflict with Russia and is now sharing this capability with Gulf states facing Iranian aerial threats. In exchange, Ukraine seeks advanced air defense systems from these countries to strengthen its own defenses against Russian attacks. The discussions also covered regional security issues including Iranian strikes and potential blockades of the Strait of Hormuz.