By Elsie Kamsiyochi
Russia carried out one of its largest aerial assaults of the war overnight, launching hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles against cities across Ukraine in a coordinated attack that killed at least 22 people and injured more than 100 others.
The barrage struck major urban centers including Kyiv and Dnipro, causing widespread destruction, damaging civilian infrastructure, and prompting renewed calls from Ukrainian leaders for additional Western military assistance.
The attack came after weeks of heightened tensions and warnings from Moscow that it would intensify strikes against Ukraine. Russian officials had previously threatened “systematic” attacks on Kyiv following a drone strike on a dormitory in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region last month, an attack that Ukrainian authorities deny carrying out.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Russia launched a total of 73 missiles and more than 600 drones during the overnight assault. Ukrainian air defenses managed to intercept or disable hundreds of incoming threats, but the sheer scale of the attack overwhelmed parts of the country’s defensive network. Zelenskiy described the bombardment as a clear message from Moscow that missile attacks on Ukrainian cities would continue unless Ukraine received stronger protection from its allies.
The strikes marked the third major attack on Kyiv in less than a month. Residents across the capital were awakened by air raid sirens, explosions, and the sounds of air defense systems engaging incoming missiles. Thick plumes of smoke rose above residential districts as emergency services rushed to damaged sites. Authorities reported that at least six people were killed in Kyiv and more than 80 others were wounded.
Photographs and videos from the capital showed shattered apartment buildings, damaged offices, destroyed vehicles, and debris scattered across streets. Several high-rise residential complexes, a kindergarten, a private medical clinic, administrative buildings, and commercial properties sustained significant damage. The attacks also temporarily disrupted electricity supplies for approximately 140,000 residents.
The psychological impact of the assault was evident throughout the city. More than 40,000 people sought shelter in Kyiv’s underground metro stations, the largest number recorded in recent years. Families arrived carrying bags, blankets, pets, and mattresses as they prepared for hours underground while explosions echoed above.
Among those caught in the attacks was Kyiv resident Olha Mudra, who emerged from the rubble-covered aftermath alongside her six-year-old daughter. Covered in dust, she described the experience as feeling like “some kind of apocalypse,” reflecting the fear and confusion felt by many civilians during the bombardment.
The southeastern city of Dnipro suffered even heavier casualties. Local officials reported that at least 16 people were killed overnight, including two young boys. Additional strikes later in the day injured at least two more residents. Rescue teams worked through damaged neighborhoods searching for survivors and clearing debris from collapsed structures.
Ukraine’s Air Force said the attack included 33 ballistic missiles and eight Zircon hypersonic missiles, making it one of the largest deployments of advanced Russian missile systems during the conflict. The Zircon missile, which Russia claims can travel at speeds exceeding nine times the speed of sound and strike targets up to 1,000 kilometers away, presents a particularly difficult challenge for air defense systems.
While Ukrainian forces reported intercepting or neutralizing 40 missiles and 602 drones, officials did not report successfully shooting down any of the Zircon hypersonic missiles. Military analysts have long considered such weapons among the most difficult threats facing Ukrainian air defenses.
The Kremlin defended the operation, stating that Russian forces had conducted a “massive strike” against Ukraine’s defense industry infrastructure. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed the attacks targeted military production facilities and reported that ten defense-related sites in Kyiv had been successfully hit. Ukrainian officials, however, emphasized that many civilian areas were also damaged and that ordinary residents once again bore the brunt of the assault.
In northeastern Ukraine, the Kharkiv region was also targeted. Local authorities reported that at least 14 people were injured, including a child. Emergency crews responded to multiple incidents as debris from intercepted drones and missiles fell across populated areas.
The latest escalation comes as international diplomatic efforts to end the war remain stalled. U.S.-brokered negotiations have made little progress in recent months, while Washington’s attention has increasingly shifted toward developments in the Middle East. At the same time, Russia’s battlefield advances have slowed compared to previous years, and Ukraine has intensified long-range attacks against Russian military and energy infrastructure.
Zelenskiy used the aftermath of the strikes to renew his appeal for additional Patriot air defense systems and interceptor missiles. He recently sent a formal request to U.S. President Donald Trump and members of Congress seeking expanded air defense support, warning that Ukraine’s existing missile defense supplies are being rapidly depleted by the constant wave of Russian attacks.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also urged international partners to take stronger action against Moscow, calling for tougher sanctions and increased military assistance. He argued that Russia’s continued missile campaigns demonstrate the need for greater pressure on the Kremlin and more resources for Ukraine’s defense.
The conflict’s effects were felt beyond Ukraine’s borders. NATO member Poland scrambled military aircraft to secure its airspace during the attacks, a precautionary measure that has become increasingly common during large-scale Russian missile operations near NATO territory.
Meanwhile, Russia also reported facing Ukrainian drone attacks overnight. Authorities in Russia’s Krasnodar region said a drone strike caused a fire at the Ilsky oil refinery, while officials in the Belgorod region reported that an 11-year-old boy was injured after a Ukrainian drone struck a residential home. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its air defenses destroyed 148 Ukrainian drones during the same period.
More than four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion began, the war continues to exact a devastating human cost. Tens of thousands have been killed, millions have been displaced, and entire cities and communities have been scarred by repeated waves of missile and drone attacks.
The latest bombardment underscores both the intensity of the conflict and the growing challenge facing Ukraine as it seeks to defend its cities against increasingly sophisticated and large-scale Russian aerial assaults.
Source Reuters
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