Russian forces launched a large-scale aerial assault across multiple Ukrainian cities, killing at least 18 civilians and injuring over 130, officials reported. The attacks targeted Kyiv, Dnipro, and eastern urban centers with missiles and drones in an intensified campaign that began overnight and extended into dawn.
In the central city of Dnipro, rescue crews recovered the bodies of a 3-year-old child, an 8-year-old boy, and a woman from the rubble of damaged apartment buildings. The mayor declared a day of mourning to honor the 12 civilians who died there. Kyiv suffered six fatalities amid the relentless barrage, with dozens more wounded. Emergency teams confirmed injuries to nearly 80 people in the capital alone.
The wave of strikes involved 73 missiles and more than 650 drones, according to the Ukrainian air force. Despite robust air defenses intercepting most threats—neutralizing 40 missiles and over 600 drones—ballistic missile strikes managed to inflict significant damage. This vulnerability has been linked to Ukraine’s limited stock of U.S.-supplied air defense systems, which have been depleted in part due to other global conflicts.
Residents of Kyiv have remained on high alert in recent days, especially after Russian authorities warned of a massive imminent air assault and instructed foreign diplomats to evacuate. Despite the warning, embassies reported no damage, and foreign personnel largely stayed in the country. In one account, a Kyiv mother and her young daughter took shelter in a bathtub as explosions shattered windows and sent debris flying nearby.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for increased support from Europe and the United States, emphasizing that the attacks were a deliberate message from Russia. He stressed that without improved defenses against ballistic missiles and similar strikes, civilian casualties will continue to rise. The offensive included the recent deployment of a hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile, underscoring Moscow’s escalating tactics.