Russian missile and drone barrage kills 13 people across Ukraine
Kyiv and Dnipro suffer major damage as rescue efforts continue
Ukraine says it intercepted 642 targets during one of Russia’s largest attacks
At least 13 people were killed and dozens injured after Russia launched one of its largest missile and drone attacks on Ukraine in recent months, striking Kyiv, Dnipro and other cities overnight, according to Ukrainian authorities.
“Last night, Russia launched more than 600 drones and over 70 missiles of various types against the civilian population of Ukraine," said Yulia Svyrydenko, Prime Minister of Ukraine.
Nine people were killed in the eastern city of Dnipro and four in the capital Kyiv, while several children were among those injured. Emergency crews were searching for people feared trapped beneath rubble after strikes hit residential buildings.
“In Kyiv, four people were killed and at least 58 injured, including three children. In Dnipro, the current toll stands at nine killed and more than 35 injured. Rescue operations are still ongoing. This is terror,” Ukranian official Andriy Kostin detailed in a social media post.
In Kyiv, a missile strike hit a 24-storey apartment building, causing part of it to collapse, reports say. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said fires broke out in several districts, including residential areas, while falling debris ignited vehicles and damaged buildings. Air raid sirens sounded across much of the country, sending residents to shelters and metro stations.
In Dnipro, regional officials said residential buildings were damaged and dozens of people were wounded. Additional casualties were reported in the Kharkiv region, where shelling injured several residents, including a child.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had warned ahead of the assault that intelligence indicated a possible large-scale Russian attack. Following the strikes, he said Russia launched 656 drones and 73 missiles, including ballistic and cruise missiles, during the overnight operation. He renewed calls for additional air defence support from Western allies, particularly missiles for Patriot defence systems.
Ukraine's air force said it intercepted the majority of the incoming weapons, claiming to have shot down 642 aerial targets.
Russia's Defence Ministry said the attacks were carried out in response to previous Ukrainian strikes and claimed all intended targets had been hit. Moscow had earlier warned of "systematic strikes" against military and decision-making centres in Kyiv.
The latest barrage comes as hostilities between the two countries continue to intensify more than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
