Overnight on Sunday, Russia launched a significant wave of drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, resulting in at least four fatalities in the capital, Kyiv, which faced some of the most intense strikes to date.
This marks the first substantial bombardment following a previous airstrike on Kyiv last month that resulted in no less than 21 deaths.
Tymur Tkachenko, the city’s administration head, reported the casualties on Telegram, noting that 10 individuals were injured in attacks aimed at civilian areas.
A 12-year-old girl was among those who lost their lives.
Thick, dark smoke rose from explosions near the city center.
“The Russians have resumed counting the deaths of children,” Tkachenko stated on Telegram.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commented on X, indicating that the relentless attacks comprised “almost 500 strike drones and over 40 missiles.”
In addition to Kyiv, locations including Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, and Odesa also endured bombardments. Zelensky mentioned that at least 40 people have been injured across the country.
Ivan Fedorov, head of the Zaporizhzhia region, disclosed that three children were part of the 27 people hurt in the area, with more than 20 buildings damaged in the regional capital.
Zelensky described the attack as “sleazy,” occurring just after the UN General Assembly, emphasizing that it reflects Russia’s ongoing aggression, which he believes merits a strong global response.
During his speech at the UN Assembly, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that Russia had no plans to target Europe and would respond decisively to any provocations.
According to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, the early morning strike also hit residential buildings, medical facilities, kindergartens, and private infrastructure.
At the central railway station in Kyiv, passengers arrived amidst the sounds of anti-aircraft fire and the buzzing of drones, waiting quietly in the underground passages until the air raid alerts ceased.
Parents were anxiously checking their phones for updates while their children occupied themselves with video games.
“The sky is black again,” a woman named Erica remarked. “That seems to be happening quite often.”
A multi-story residential building was heavily impacted by a drone, with significant damage to upper floors and blown-out windows.
Emergency services, including firefighters with ladders, worked diligently to clear the debris.
Glass shards from the damaged buildings littered nearby walkways as residents sat on benches, visibly shaken.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andri Sibikha described the scale of the assault as involving “hundreds of drones and missiles,” stressing the need to increase the cost of further escalation for Russia.
Russian officials have not yet responded to the recent attacks.
Reports from Polish forces indicated a military response in Poland as Russian strikes were reported in western Ukraine, characterized by Polish military officials as precautionary measures.
There have been international fears that the conflict may spill over into neighboring countries, resulting in European nations condemning Russia for what they see as provocations.
The situation has included a Russian drone that reportedly entered Polish airspace and Russian fighter jets over Estonia, though Russia denies any incursions into Estonian airspace.
This latest wave of attacks coincides with Zelensky’s announcement of a significant arms deal with the United States, valued at $90 billion, including purchases of Ukrainian-made drones.
In the meantime, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed to have downed 41 Ukrainian drones overnight into Sunday.
