Russian forces launched a significant missile and drone barrage overnight targeting Kyiv, Dnipro, and other urban centers in Ukraine, killing at least 22 civilians and injuring more than 130, Ukrainian officials reported. The attacks continued into the dawn hours, with emergency responders recovering bodies from damaged apartment buildings, including children.
In Dnipro, at least 16 civilians died, among them a 3-year-old child and an 8-year-old boy, while Kyiv authorities confirmed six fatalities and dozens of injuries. Explosions echoed throughout major cities, keeping residents on edge following prior Russian warnings of an impending large-scale aerial attack. Despite these warnings, foreign diplomatic missions remained operational without reported damage.
Ukrainian air defenses intercepted a substantial portion of the assault, reportedly shooting down or suppressing 40 missiles and over 600 drones from a total of 73 missiles and 656 drones deployed. However, Ukraine’s limited stock of advanced air defense systems, partly due to a drawdown of U.S. supplies amid other global conflicts, has left civilian populations particularly vulnerable to missile strikes, especially hypersonic ballistic missiles recently employed by Russian forces.
Amid the attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for increased military support from U.S. and European allies, emphasizing the continued threat posed by ballistic missile strikes and the necessity of bolstering Ukraine’s defenses to protect civilians. Kyiv’s local administration reported dozens of injuries, while many residents sought shelter in unconventional safe spots such as bathtubs to endure the bombings.
The ongoing aerial campaign appears part of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s effort to leverage intensified attacks to portray progress domestically, even as Ukraine’s defensive capabilities face strain. Following the strikes, Dnipro’s mayor announced a day of mourning, highlighting the devastating human toll of the escalation. One drone strike hit a residential building just minutes before the mourning day’s declaration, underscoring the persistent danger to civilians.