Russia launched a massive overnight attack on Ukraine, firing 73 missiles and 656 drones, killing at least 11 people, injuring dozens, and trapping others under rubble, authorities reported on Tuesday.
Widespread Assault Across Ukraine
According to the Ukrainian air force, the main targets included Kyiv, the central city of Dnipro, and the eastern cities of Poltava, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian air defense forces successfully destroyed or suppressed 40 missiles and 602 drones. However, hits from 30 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles, and 33 drones were recorded at at least 38 locations. Debris from downed drones fell on 15 additional sites.
Casualties and Damage in Major Cities
In Kyiv, at least four people were killed and 63 injured, including three children, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service. Residential buildings and civilian infrastructure were damaged across eight districts. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, a strike on Dnipro killed six and injured 36. A second attack as first responders arrived killed one rescuer. In Kharkiv, at least 14 were injured, with residential homes, garages, and cars damaged. A two-story residential building and part of a four-story apartment block were hit, trapping people under rubble.
Rescue Operations Amid Ongoing Threats
Explosions echoed through the night and into morning. Kyiv had been bracing for a mass attack after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned of a renewed Russian assault. In the Podilskyi district, a nine-story building suffered partial damage to its upper floors, trapping residents. Rescue operations continued even as air raid alerts persisted. In the Solomianskyi district, a 20-story and a 24-story building were damaged.
Olena Dniprovska, 65, and her husband Yevhen, 64, were injured in their Kyiv apartment. "I went out into the corridor with the phone, and before I understood what happened, everything fell on my head, the glass, and the door blew off," Dniprovska said, with dried blood on her face and a bandage on her chin. "Now I have nowhere to live, the apartment is completely destroyed."
Urgent Need for Air Defense
Ukrainian officials have been pressing allies for more air defense missiles to counter Russia's ballistic missile attacks. While Ukraine intercepts a high percentage of drones, ballistic missiles remain a major vulnerability for the country's air defenses.
