KYIV, Russia launched one of its largest overnight aerial assaults on Ukraine, firing more than 70 missiles and nearly 280 drones, killing at least nine people, including children, Ukrainian officials said on Thursday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the latest attacks highlighted the urgent need for Western allies to accelerate deliveries of advanced air defense systems, warning that delays were costing civilian lives.
According to Zelenskyy, Russia carried out a coordinated wave of missile and drone strikes targeting several regions across Ukraine. The Ukrainian Air Force said the capital Kyiv and the western Lviv region, near the Polish border, were among the primary targets.
Sharing images of damaged residential buildings, fires, and emergency rescue operations, Zelenskyy stressed that protecting civilians from Russian missile attacks remained Ukraine’s highest priority.
“Our partners know exactly how they can help. Delays in providing anti-ballistic missile systems lead to the kind of destruction and loss of life we witnessed today,” Zelenskyy said.
He also praised Ukraine’s air defense units, saying their “exceptional professionalism” prevented even greater casualties during the attacks.
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The escalation prompted neighboring Poland, a member of both NATO and the European Union, to scramble fighter jets to safeguard its airspace.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said preliminary reports suggested that a Russian cruise missile may have landed in a field in eastern Poland, leaving behind a large crater and debris. Authorities are investigating the incident.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its forces had struck what it described as Ukrainian military installations in Kyiv, Lviv, and Dnipropetrovsk, as well as three cargo vessels. Moscow did not comment on reported civilian casualties.
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The latest barrage marks another significant escalation in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, as Kyiv continues to press its international partners for additional military support to strengthen the country’s air defense capabilities.
