Russia has launched one of its largest aerial attacks on Ukraine in recent months, firing about 70 missiles alongside attack drones at Kyiv and several other regions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
At least 11 people were killed in the overnight strikes, with dozens more injured, according to Ukrainian authorities. The attacks hit residential areas and critical infrastructure across the country.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s energy infrastructure was among the main targets, raising concerns over the impact of the strikes as the country approaches winter.
“Russian ballistic missiles remain the greatest challenge,” Mr Zelenskyy said, calling for additional air-defence systems from Ukraine’s international partners.
One of the deadliest incidents occurred in Pryluky in northern Ukraine, where a missile struck a residential apartment building, killing five people, according to Ukrainian officials. Kyiv also recorded two deaths, while casualties were reported in other cities including Kremenchuk and Oleksandriia.
The strikes targeted Kyiv and at least 12 Ukrainian regions, with energy facilities and other infrastructure damaged in several locations.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces had carried out a “massive strike” against military-industrial facilities in Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions, using missiles and drones.
The latest barrage comes amid an intensifying exchange of long-range attacks between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides increasingly targeting infrastructure ahead of the winter months.
The attack has also prompted heightened concern among Ukraine’s neighbours. Poland scrambled military aircraft as a precaution during the overnight assault.
