Russia launched one of its deadliest attacks of the year against Ukraine, deploying nearly 700 drones and dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles across the country. The onslaught targeted major cities including Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipro, and Kharkiv. Ukrainian air force units reported shooting down or neutralizing 636 drones and 31 missiles over a 24-hour period.
The strikes killed at least 18 people and left more than 100 injured. In the capital city of Kyiv, at least four people died, including a 12-year-old boy and a 35-year-old woman. Other fatalities were reported in Odesa, where up to nine people were killed, as well as in the Dnipropetrovsk region, where three people died, and Zaporizhzhia oblast.
The attacks caused extensive damage to residential buildings and critical infrastructure. In Kyiv, strikes hit the Podilskyi and Obolonsky districts, sparking fires and damaging homes. This massive barrage occurred just hours after Russian forces hit Ukraine with more than 380 drones and missiles, signaling a ramp-up of attacks on civilian targets. President Zelenskyy has urged increased support from allies following the strikes.