Russia launched a large-scale barrage of drones and missiles against Ukraine early Wednesday, killing at least eight people and damaging residential buildings, industrial facilities and critical infrastructure, Ukrainian officials said.
Two people were killed in Kyiv, four in the northern city of Pryluky and two others in the central Poltava region.
130 Drones and 48 Cruise Missiles
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 130 drones and 48 cruise missiles, along with ballistic missiles, during the overnight assault.
Ukrainian air defenses said they intercepted or destroyed 161 incoming targets. The main areas targeted included Kyiv and Poltava in central Ukraine, Dnipropetrovsk in the southeast and Kharkiv in the northeast.
The attacks also caused damage to residential and industrial facilities and infrastructure in several regions.
Moscow Says Military-Industrial Sites Were Targeted
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces carried out what it described as a “massive strike” against military-industrial facilities in Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions.
The ministry said the strikes used high-precision weapons launched from land, sea and air, as well as drones. It said the targets included facilities linked to Ukrainian defense company Fire Point, which it accused of manufacturing and storing Flamingo cruise missiles and medium- and long-range drones.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last week that Ukraine had used its first domestically produced ballistic missile in combat. He also said Fire Point was expected to develop a longer-range FP-9 missile.
Missile Hits Residential Building in Pryluky
In Pryluky, in Ukraine’s northern Chernihiv region, a Russian missile struck a five-story residential building, killing at least four people and injuring around 20 others, according to local authorities.
Rescue teams were seen searching through the rubble and pulling survivors from the wreckage, while officials warned that additional residents could still be trapped beneath the debris.
Kyiv Residents Take Shelter in Metro Stations
As warnings of further attacks spread, many residents of Kyiv sought shelter in the city’s deep underground metro stations.
Several loud explosions were heard across the capital overnight. Ukrainian officials said ballistic missiles were used alongside drones in attacks targeting the city.
Overnight strikes also damaged an industrial facility in Dnipro, transport infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia and residential buildings in Kremenchuk, according to regional authorities.
The latest attacks come as Ukraine continues to face pressure on its air-defense capabilities, with Kyiv repeatedly calling for additional systems and ammunition to counter Russia’s ongoing missile and drone strikes.
