Eight Killed As Russia Launches Massive Missile And Drone Attack Across Ukraine

At least eight people, including three children, were killed after Russia launched more than 70 missiles and over 280 drones in a large-scale overnight attack across Ukraine. The strikes damaged homes, businesses and infrastructure in several cities, including Kryvyi Rih, Kyiv, Poltava and Lviv, while a missile briefly entered Polish airspace, prompting fighter jet deployment. The attacks came as President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed calls for stronger air defence support, warning that Ukraine needs more Patriot missile systems to protect civilians from escalating Russian bombardments.

At least eight people, including three children, were killed after Russia launched a large-scale overnight missile and drone attack on several regions of Ukraine, causing widespread destruction to homes, businesses and critical infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces fired more than 70 missiles and over 280 drones during the assault, describing it as one of the latest waves of intensified aerial bombardment targeting civilian areas.
The dead included a six-year-old girl and two boys aged 11 and 17, who were killed when a Russian ballistic missile struck the village of Radushne, near the central city of Kryvyi Rih, Zelensky's hometown.

CHILDREN AMONG VICTIMS AS HOMES DESTROYED

Local officials said the missile destroyed a family home, killing six people and leaving several others trapped beneath the rubble.
Oleksandr Vilkul, head of Kryvyi Rih's defence council, said two private houses were completely destroyed, while eight other people, including children and an elderly woman, were injured.
Emergency workers rescued two children alive from the collapsed building, while the injured were taken to hospital for treatment.
Elsewhere, one person was killed in Kyiv after explosions triggered fires in several buildings, while another fatality was reported in the central city of Poltava following an attack on a Nova Poshta postal terminal.
Explosions were also reported in Lviv, where residential buildings were damaged and several people were injured, with rescue teams working to free residents trapped beneath collapsed structures.

UKRAINE HAD WARNED OF MAJOR RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE

The attacks came only hours after President Zelensky warned that Russia was preparing a massive new offensive.
Earlier this week, he met US President Donald Trump in Washington, where he appealed for permission for Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles under licence.
Zelensky has repeatedly argued that expanding Ukraine's air defence capabilities is essential to protecting civilians from increasingly frequent Russian missile strikes.
The Patriot system remains one of the few air defence platforms capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, which Russia has used extensively against Ukrainian cities.

MISSILE ENTERS POLISH AIRSPACE

The latest bombardment also triggered a security alert in neighbouring Poland after at least one Russian missile briefly entered Polish airspace during the attack on western Ukraine.
Polish armed forces scrambled fighter jets after detecting several missiles flying near the border.
Military officials later discovered a crater measuring about 10 metres wide and scattered debris in a field near the village of Tarnawa-Kolonia in Lublin Province, approximately two kilometres from nearby homes.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk travelled to the site, while authorities secured the area and launched an investigation into the incident.
Although no casualties were reported in Poland, the episode has renewed concerns about the risk of the Ukraine conflict spilling into neighbouring NATO countries.

RUSSIA ALSO REPORTS UKRAINIAN STRIKE

Russian authorities meanwhile reported an overnight Ukrainian drone attack on a warehouse belonging to Wildberries, one of Russia's largest online retailers, in the city of Penza.
Regional Governor Oleg Melnichenko said one person was injured during the attack.
Wildberries facilities have increasingly become targets as Ukraine expands strikes against logistics and infrastructure supporting Russia's war effort.

WAR ENTERS ANOTHER ESCALATORY PHASE

The latest attacks reflect the continuing escalation of the war, now well into its fourth year.
Russia has intensified long-range missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities, while Ukraine has expanded attacks on military and logistical targets inside Russian territory.
International efforts to end the conflict have produced little progress, with both sides continuing large-scale military operations.
Humanitarian agencies warn that repeated attacks on civilian infrastructure are worsening living conditions for millions of Ukrainians, many of whom continue to face electricity shortages, displacement and constant security threats.