Russia has carried out one of its largest and most intense combined drone and missile attacks on Ukraine this year, killing at least 18 people and injuring more than 100 others, according to Ukrainian officials. The overnight assault struck multiple regions across the country, including the capital Kyiv, as well as Odesa, Dnipro, and several surrounding towns and villages.
Ukrainian authorities said the attack involved hundreds of drones and multiple waves of missiles launched in a coordinated barrage designed to overwhelm air defence systems. Civilian neighbourhoods, residential buildings, and key infrastructure sites were among the primary targets, causing widespread destruction and panic as explosions lit up the night sky across several cities.
In Kyiv, emergency services worked through the night pulling survivors from rubble and extinguishing large fires that broke out in apartment blocks and commercial buildings. Officials confirmed that entire residential sections were heavily damaged, leaving dozens of families displaced and without shelter. Hospitals across affected regions reported a continuous flow of injured civilians, including women and children, with several victims listed in critical condition.
Power outages were also reported in multiple areas following damage to energy infrastructure, further complicating rescue operations and disrupting essential services. Ukrainian officials condemned the strikes as a deliberate escalation in Russia’s aerial campaign, describing them as a continued assault on civilian life and infrastructure.
Ukraine’s air force stated that its defence systems intercepted a significant number of incoming drones and missiles, but acknowledged that the sheer scale and volume of the attack allowed several projectiles to reach their targets.
The latest strikes come amid ongoing and intensified fighting along the front lines, with both sides continuing to engage in heavy combat operations. International observers have raised renewed concerns over the growing humanitarian toll of the conflict, which shows no immediate signs of de-escalation as civilian areas increasingly remain in the crossfire.