Russian forces launched a large-scale assault overnight against Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv and Dnipro, killing at least 18 civilians and injuring more than 130, according to Ukrainian authorities. The attack combined hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, stretching into the early morning hours with explosions heard across the affected urban areas.
In Dnipro, emergency responders recovered the bodies of a 3-year-old child, an adult woman, and her 8-year-old son from the rubble of damaged residential buildings. Officials reported that twelve people died there, while six fatalities occurred in Kyiv. The wave of attacks follows repeated warnings from Moscow about impending large assaults and expanded air raids using advanced hypersonic missiles, escalating the ongoing four-year conflict.
Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have intensified Moscow’s aerial offensive, capitalizing on Ukraine’s dwindling supply of U.S.-made air defense systems strained by other conflicts. This shortage has left Ukrainian civilians particularly vulnerable to ballistic missile strikes, despite Kyiv’s successful interception of most Russian drones. The pressure mounts on Ukraine’s foreign allies, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged enhanced U.S. and European military support, framing the barrage as a clear signal from Russia that missile attacks will persist without robust air defense aid.
In the capital, residents endured a tense night as sirens wailed and explosions shattered windows across the city. Iryna Salikova, a Kyiv mother, spent the night sheltering with her young daughter inside a bathtub for protection after a cobblestone from a blast shattered their window. Emergency services reported dozens of injuries in Kyiv alone, reflecting the widespread human impact of the strikes.
Despite Russian warnings urging foreign diplomats to evacuate Kyiv ahead of the offensive, embassies remained in place without immediate reports of damage. The relentless missile campaign marks a significant escalation, emphasizing Moscow’s determination to erode Ukrainian resistance and sow fear among civilian populations as the war enters its fifth year.