In the largest offensive since the war began, Russia launched over 400 drones and 40 missiles across Ukraine overnight, killing at least six people and injuring 80 others, according to Ukrainian authorities.
The widespread attack came in retaliation to Ukraine’s recent Operation Spiderweb, which targeted and damaged a third of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that nearly the entire country was affected, with nine regions, including Kyiv, Lviv, Sumy, and Chernihiv, hit by the strikes.
“Today, rescue and emergency operations continued all day across various regions and cities,” Zelensky said in a post on X. “Some people may still be trapped under debris.”
Among the casualties were three firefighters in Kyiv, two civilians in Lutsk, and one person in Chernihiv. The Ukrainian State Emergency Service confirmed numerous injuries and extensive damage to infrastructure.
Zelensky criticized the global silence on the attack, stating, “Not everyone in the world condemns such attacks. This is what Putin exploits. He is buying time to prolong the war.”
Calling for immediate international action, he urged for diplomatic pressure, security guarantees, and a ceasefire.
“Peace must be established. For that, initial steps are needed,” Zelensky said.
Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed the barrage was a response to Ukraine’s ‘terrorist acts’, referring to Operation Spiderweb. The Kremlin’s escalation marks a dangerous new phase in the three-year-old conflict, with both sides showing no signs of backing down.
