Seven killed in Ukraine as Russia launches fresh wave of drone and missile strikes overnight

From the Newshound archive · first published 24 September 2026.

At least seven people are dead after Russia struck Ukraine with a new wave of drone and missile attacks, the latest salvo in a conflict that is reportedly pivoting from tanks and artillery into a high-speed arms race in the skies. Ukraine's 413 Raid drone regiment hit back overnight, firing long-range FP-2 attack drones more than 200 miles into Russian-occupied Luhansk. Zelensky, speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York, warned world leaders that unless current wars end, AI could be making life-and-death battlefield decisions as early as next year.

Zelensky branded Putin 'patient zero' for spreading the 'infection' of war to Africa, Asia and beyond, and implored allies to act before the contagion spreads further.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned the Ukraine war could 'metastasise' into other places through hybrid attacks, sabotage or a single misunderstanding by a pilot.

A Russian AI-guided drone killed three Ukrainians last month — including a 19-year-old student — underscoring Zelensky's fear that the technology is already arriving on the battlefield.