By Tasneem Bandukwala
In a massive, coordinated strike carried out overnight, Russia unleashed around 40 missiles and 580 drones against Ukraine, killing at least three people and injuring dozens more, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed.
The hardest-hit regions included Dnipro, Chernihiv, and Khmelnytskyi. In Dnipro, a missile equipped with cluster munitions struck a residential building, Governor Sergiy Lysak said. There, one person died and 26 were seriously injured. In the north, in Chernihiv, a 62-year-old man was killed in a separate drone attack, according to local official Vyacheslav Chaus. Khmelnytskyi authorities reported extensive damage to about 20 residential buildings, and one fatality was recovered by emergency crews.
Ukraine’s air defenses were active throughout the barrage. Alerts were issued nationwide, including for the Kyiv region, as Ukrainian forces intercepted many incoming threats. Meanwhile, Russia claimed to have shot down 149 Ukrainian drones overnight in its southern regions—Volgograd, Rostov, and Saratov—with one civilian reportedly injured in Saratov.
President Zelenskyy described the assault as “one of the most intense attacks in recent weeks.” He noted that both cruise and ballistic missiles were used, alongside a large swarm of drones.
The attack adds to the escalating violence as diplomatic efforts and ceasefire negotiations remain stalled. Ukraine has accused Moscow of continuing to use bombardments to undermine any peace talks.
Simultaneously, tensions in the region are growing. Estonia said three Russian military planes entered its airspace on Friday, but Moscow denied it. NATO raised concerns over the incident. A week earlier, Poland also claimed that about 20 Russian drones crossed into its airspace, which the Kremlin rejected.
As of now, recovery and damage assessments are underway, with rescue operations in affected cities continuing, and authorities warning civilians to remain alert as further attacks could follow.