Kyiv, Ukraine — At least seven people were killed in a large-scale Russian missile and drone attack across Ukraine overnight, with heavy damage reported in multiple cities.
Five of the victims were in the central city of Dnipro, where an apartment building was hit. Two others were killed in the northern city of Chernihiv. Emergency workers continued searching through the rubble on Saturday morning for possible survivors.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack lasted “practically all night,” accusing Russia of continuing to target civilian infrastructure. He noted that residential buildings, energy facilities, and businesses were among the sites damaged.
Ukrainian officials said more than 600 drones, along with cruise and ballistic missiles, were launched during the assault—one of the largest attacks in recent days. Air defence systems reportedly intercepted the majority of the incoming threats, though several strikes still caused significant destruction.
Other cities, including Odesa and Kharkiv, were also targeted in the нападение.
During the attack, British Typhoon jets based in Romania were scrambled after Russian drones were detected near NATO’s border. However, authorities later confirmed that the aircraft did not engage, as the drones did not enter Romanian airspace.
In response, Ukraine carried out some of its longest-range drone strikes deep inside Russian territory. In Yekaterinburg, nearly 1,600 km from Ukraine’s border, local officials reported that six people were injured after a building was struck. Drone activity was also reported in nearby Chelyabinsk, where an industrial facility was targeted but reportedly intercepted.
Russia’s defence ministry said it had shot down 127 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions and claimed control of a village in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region—an assertion that has not yet been confirmed by Kyiv.
The escalation comes as peace talks between the two sides remain stalled. Ukraine continues to seek international support, including recent discussions between President Zelensky and Mohammed bin Salman on strengthening air defence cooperation and military collaboration.
