President Zelensky called on Kyiv’s allies to rush in air defence support after the city, which had a pre-war population of 300,000, became the latest target of an intensifying Russian air strike campaign.

The Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine has come under a series of drone attacks since April 7.

Saturday’s drone and missile launches, including some that overflew Iraqi airspace, have underscored the delicate relationship between Washington and Baghdad, not least because of Iranian proxy groups that operate in Iraq.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the Middle East was ‘on the brink’ and warned members not to further escalate tensions with reprisals against Iran.

Kyiv said the feared operation would make Ukraine appear responsible for whatever took place at the nuclear site in southern Ukraine, which has been occupied by Russian troops since 2022.

Flight between Zhongshan and megacity of Shenzhen takes around 45 minutes and costs 40 yuan (US$5.60) per order, according to UAV-maker Phoenix Wings, which is backed by Chinese logistics giant SF Express.

Iran launched explosive drones and fired missiles at Israel late on Saturday in its first direct attack on Israeli territory, a retaliatory strike that raised the threat of a wider regional conflict.

Moscow is receiving drone and missile tech, satellite imagery and machine tools, aiding its biggest military build-up since the Soviet era, US officials say.

Reason for evacuation was the almost daily shelling of towns in the region by Russia. Regional governor promised that all those affected would receive humanitarian and legal aid.

Ukraine’s parliament passed a bill to overhaul the rules governing how the military mobilises civilians into its ranks as the war rages on with no end in sight.

The Commerce Department also restricted exports to 5 companies, including 2 in China, tied to drones used by Russia and Houthis.

The head of the UN’s atomic watchdog agency condemned a drone strike on one of six nuclear reactors at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine.

Kyiv has been working to extend the range of its drones, as it attempts to compensate for its battlefield disadvantage in weapons and troops.

China has said its ‘low-altitude economy’ will be given direct and indirect aid to ensure this growth sector is nurtured enough to reach its full potential – billions in value by 2030, government research has suggested.

Russia has escalated strikes, causing significant damage, while Putin has also signed orders heralding the start of Moscow’s annual recruitment season for conscripts.

No explanation was given immediately for the latest changes in a wide-reaching personnel shake-up over recent months.

A missile launched by Moscow at the Lviv region violated Poland’s airspace, officials said, while Ukraine’s capital Kyiv also came under assault and it said it had hit two Russian ships in Crimea.

Putin’s forces say they have seized Ivanivske, just west of the devastated city of Bakhmut, which fell 10 months ago.

At least nine major refineries have been successfully attacked this year, currently taking offline 11 per cent of Russia’s total capacity by some estimates.

From April 1, EHang’s EH216-S electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle will be available in overseas markets at a suggested retail price of US$410,000.

Once this new device reaches the target airspace it can split in the blink of an eye into two, three or even six smaller drones, depending on battle needs.

Russian officials reported attacks on energy facilities, including a fire at Lukoil’s Norsi refinery and a drone destroyed on the outskirts of the town of Russia’s second largest oil refinery.

A new unmanned aircraft is set to pose a challenge to missile defence systems with quick manoeuvrability even at high altitudes.

Ukrainian forces have launched a wave of drone attacks at Russian energy facilities in recent months, trying to target the country’s vital energy and gas sector that it says Russia uses to fuel its invasion.

Meet Ukraine’s small but lethal weapon lifting morale: unmanned sea drones packed with explosives.

China’s low-altitude economy is expected to reach 2 trillion yuan by 2030, with the burgeoning sector achieving another milestone this week with an intercity flight by an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Notice banning low-altitude aircraft including drones suggests political meetings could be over by March 12. Extra checks are also in place for inbound parcels and train passengers entering the Chinese capital.