Russian strikes killed at least 16 in Ukraine in the biggest attack in months – on the National
Russia has struck residential areas in Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles in an attack that lasted hours from day to night, killing at least 16 people and injuring more than 100 as panicked residents cowered in their homes, officials said Thursday.
Russia has introduced nearly 700 drones and dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles, mostly targeting civilians, into its main air force in about two weeks, authorities said.
Tetiana Sokol, 54, a resident of Kyiv, said that two missiles hit near her home and she hid with her dog in the hallway as the lights were on at night and the windows were shattered due to the blast wave.
“In the third attack everything broke, everything flew, we were shocked, we didn't know where to run. I took whatever I could find and ran away with the dog,” he told the Associated Press. “I still haven't found the cats in the house, they have climbed somewhere, I don't even know the windows, nothing, the dog is still walking under stress.”
Moscow's military has attacked residential areas almost every day since it attacked its neighbor more than four years ago, with regular attacks sometimes accompanied by large-scale attacks. More than 15,000 Ukrainians have died in these strikes, the United Nations said.
Russia's Defense Ministry said the operation was launched in “revenge” for Ukraine's strikes inside Russia, in which long-range drones and missiles hit Russian oil refineries and military-related targets.
European Council President António Costa described it as “another horrific attack” while people were sleeping in their homes.
Zelenskyy in the campaign to improve air defense
The latest bombing comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's 48-hour trip this week to Germany, Norway and Italy where he is urgently seeking additional air defense systems that can stop Russian missiles.
Ukraine has developed a significant domestic arms industry, particularly in the production of drones and missiles, but it cannot keep up with the sophistication of US Patriot air defense systems. The most important thing for Ukraine in communications is to get the help of partners to buy and build better and better air defenses, Zelenskyy said this week.
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Cash-strapped Ukraine also needs immediate repayment of a promised loan from the European Union of 90 billion euros ($106 billion) blocked by Hungary.
Cash-strapped Ukraine also needs immediate repayment of a promised loan from the European Union of 90 billion euros ($106 billion) blocked by Hungary.
Ukraine fears that a war with Iran is fueling the advanced American programs it needs, and has objected to a temporary US lifting of sanctions on Russian oil that Kyiv says is helping finance the Kremlin's war effort.
“Another night has proved that Russia does not deserve the disclosure of world policy or the lifting of sanctions,” Zelenskyy told X.
He thanked Germany, Norway and Italy for new agreements this week to support Ukraine's air defense. Officials are working with the Netherlands on other matters, he said.
At the same time, he noted that other partner countries did not follow through on promises to support the military.
“I have instructed the Commander of the Air Force to contact those partners who previously committed to providing Patriot missiles and other systems,” said Zelenskyy.
Other areas of Ukraine and Russia were also hit
The bombing was heavy for weeks. Last month, Russia shot down 948 drones and 34 missiles in the space of 24 hours in the war's biggest attack on civilian areas.
At least four people were killed overnight in Kyiv, including a 12-year-old child, and more than 50 others were injured, according to authorities. Officials said the attack destroyed 17 apartments, 10 houses, as well as a hotel, an office center, a car dealership, a gas station and a shopping mall in the capital.
Nine people were killed and 23 injured in the southern port of Odesa, three women were killed and about 30 were injured in the central Dnipro area, and one person died in Zaporizhzhia in the south.
“Such attacks cannot be normalized. These are war crimes that must be stopped and the perpetrators brought to justice,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told X.
Ukraine's air force said self-defense aircraft shot down or disabled 667 of 703 incoming targets, including 636 Shahed-type aircraft and other non-operational aerial vehicles.
It said 20 drones and 12 missiles hit 26 locations.
Meanwhile in Russia, Governor of Krasnodar region Veniamin Kondratyev reported that a 14-year-old girl and a woman were killed in Ukrainian strikes on the Black Sea port of Tuapse.
He said the attack destroyed six apartments, 24 private houses and three schools. Fragments of the drone also fell near Tuapse.
Russia's Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down 207 Ukrainian planes overnight.
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