21 Killed In Russia’s Massive Drone, Missile Assault On Ukraine

Russia has launched one of its most intense aerial assaults on Ukraine in recent months, firing hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles in overnight strikes that killed at least 21 people and wounded scores of others.

According to Ukrainian authorities, the attack targeted multiple cities, including the capital, Kyiv, where residents were forced to seek shelter in metro stations amid sustained explosions and air raid sirens.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia deployed 73 missiles and 656 drones during the assault, with dozens penetrating the country’s air defence systems.

Officials reported that six people were killed in Kyiv alone, with at least 66 others injured, while 15 people, including two children, died in the southeastern city of Dnipro after a residential building collapsed.

President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strikes and renewed calls for increased military support from Western allies, particularly the supply of advanced air defence systems.

“Europe needs its own anti-ballistic defence so that this war can finally be brought to an end,” Zelensky said, stressing the need for additional missile systems to counter Russian attacks.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andriy Sybiga, described the assault as evidence of desperation by Moscow, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of targeting civilians.

In response, Russia said it had carried out a large-scale strike using advanced weaponry, including hypersonic missiles, aimed at Ukraine’s military-industrial infrastructure, while denying deliberately targeting civilians.

The attacks also caused widespread damage to infrastructure, with more than 100,000 residents in Kyiv temporarily losing electricity, according to local energy providers.

In the southern port city of Odesa, a maternity hospital was struck, though authorities reported no casualties.

The latest escalation comes amid fading hopes for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, now in its fourth year since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

International reactions were swift, with European officials condemning the strikes, while the United Nations called for an immediate de-escalation of hostilities.

Despite the ongoing bombardment, Ukrainian officials said they remain open to renewed negotiations, even as fighting continues along the front lines and cross-border strikes persist.