Russian forces launched a massive overnight assault on Ukraine using more than 120 drones and 12 missiles, killing at least six people including a child and wounding dozens more, according to local officials on Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said half of the missiles fired were ballistic, placing significant pressure on the country's air defense capabilities.
The attacks struck multiple locations across Ukraine, with missiles hitting the capital Kyiv, the northern city of Sumy, and the southern port city of Odesa. In Kyiv alone, 12 people were wounded, including two children, according to the city's mayor.
Strikes Hit Before Air Raid Alerts
AFP journalists in Kyiv reported hearing two series of explosions in the early morning hours, with an air raid siren sounding only minutes after the first blast. Saturday's attack on the capital marked the second time in less than a week that missiles struck before an air alert was issued to residents.
Zelensky noted that civilian infrastructure was hit even before the air raid alert was issued. He shared videos on social media showing emergency teams working through smoke and rubble at damaged buildings. Apartment buildings, offices, and a theological school were among the structures damaged in Kyiv, while recovery operations continued in other affected regions.
Sergiy Sternenko, an adviser to Ukraine's defence minister, suggested that impacts occurring before sirens could indicate Russia had used S-400 anti-aircraft missiles to carry out ground strikes. Writing on Telegram, he explained that such missiles are more difficult to detect by radar during ground attacks. "There is no military logic to such attacks. It is simply terrorism for the sake of terrorism," he wrote.
Casualties Reported Across Multiple Cities
In the northern Ukrainian city of Sumy, a guided aerial bomb killed four people, including a young girl, according to city mayor Artem Kobzar. A separate missile strike on the southern city of Odesa killed two additional people, reported regional governor Oleg Kiper.
Moscow has been firing missiles and drones at Kyiv on a near-daily basis since launching its full-scale invasion in February 2022. However, a recent series of deadly attacks employing dozens of ultra-fast ballistic missiles has placed Ukraine's air defense system under particular strain.