Russia launched a large-scale overnight assault on Ukraine using dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles along with hundreds of strike drones, Ukrainian officials said. The attacks primarily targeted energy infrastructure but also damaged residential buildings and railway facilities. At least one person was killed and several others were injured as explosions echoed across multiple regions. Authorities described the assault as one of the most intense recent waves aimed at crippling the country’s power system.
The strikes hit Kyiv and surrounding districts, as well as the Black Sea port city of Odesa and parts of central Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated that Dnipro, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Poltava, and Sumy regions also came under attack. He emphasized that Russia continues to prioritize military escalation over diplomatic engagement. According to Zelenskiy, this week alone Russia launched more than 1,300 drones, 1,400 guided aerial bombs, and 96 missiles against Ukraine.
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Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia fired 50 missiles and 297 drones during the overnight operation. Air defense systems intercepted or neutralized 33 missiles and 274 drones, reducing the scale of destruction. Nevertheless, significant damage occurred in several districts, particularly in the Kyiv region, where more than a dozen houses were affected. Regional officials confirmed one fatality and at least five injuries as emergency crews worked to contain the aftermath.
In Odesa, regional authorities said drone strikes triggered fires at energy facilities, which firefighters later extinguished. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha urged the international community to impose stronger sanctions, arguing that continued attacks cannot become normalized. He stressed that sustained pressure on Moscow remains essential to deter further escalation. There was no immediate official response from Russia regarding the latest strikes.
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The attacks come as diplomatic efforts to broker peace have stalled, with recent talks in Geneva failing to produce meaningful progress. Russia continues near-daily strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, including thermal power plants and substations, as part of its broader military campaign launched in February 2022. Moscow claims it targets infrastructure to weaken Ukraine’s war capabilities, while Kyiv insists the strategy aims to harm civilians and undermine national resilience.