Ukraine faced a massive overnight assault as Moscow deployed 619 drones and missiles, the Ukrainian Air Force reported. The attack included 579 strike drones, eight ballistic missiles, and 32 cruise missiles. Ukrainian air defenses successfully intercepted 583 of these targets, preventing even greater destruction.
The strikes hit multiple regions across the country, including Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, Poltava, Kyiv, Odesa, Sumy, and Kharkiv.
The assaults left three people dead and caused injuries to dozens more, while damaging both civilian infrastructure and residential areas. Ukrainian authorities stated that they will continue to assess the full extent of the impact from this unprecedented attack.
Zelensky urges strong international response
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the latest Russian strikes, calling them a deliberate effort to terrorize civilians rather than a military necessity. He stressed that the attacks are aimed at destroying infrastructure and sowing fear across the country.
“Ukraine has proven it can defend itself and Europe, but for a reliable shield, we must act together: strengthen air defense, increase weapons supplies, and expand sanctions against Russia’s military machine and the sectors that finance it. Every restriction on Russia saves lives,” Zelensky said in a statement on X.
Poland activated its air defenses early Saturday in response to Russian strikes near its border with Ukraine, with Polish armed forces noting the move was intended to protect areas adjacent to the threatened regions. Officials later confirmed that the operation had been concluded, and normal airspace monitoring resumed, emphasizing that the response was precautionary and aimed solely at maintaining security along Poland’s border, POLITICO reported.
The latest drone barrage comes a day after three Russian fighter jets violated Estonian airspace, an incursion condemned by both Estonian authorities and EU officials.
Kyiv expects talks on security guarantees in New York
Zelenskyy said he expects to meet US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of next week’s United Nations General Assembly in New York. He also noted that Kyiv and its partners have already laid the groundwork for long-term security guarantees and expressed hope that next week’s meetings will clarify how close they are to finalizing these commitments.
Even as diplomatic efforts continue to seek an end to the war that began with Russia’s February 2022 invasion, fighting has intensified in recent months. Kyiv has faced increasing pressure in eastern Ukraine, with the continued fighting further straining Ukrainian defenses and displaced thousands of civilians, as cities and rural areas alike bear the brunt of artillery strikes, drone attacks, and ground assaults.
Russia has also shifted its tactics to strike Ukrainian cities far from the frontline, now deploying swarms of hundreds of drones in a single assault, up from just dozens earlier in the conflict. In response, Ukraine has increasingly carried out its own drone attacks targeting deeper into Russian territory, aiming at refineries, fuel depots, and logistics hubs to disrupt Moscow’s supply lines and military operations.