Massive Drone and Missile Barrage Hits Ukraine: Kyiv Targeted, 2 Killed in Odesa

Ukraine faced one of its largest aerial assaults overnight, as Russia launched a reported 315 drones and seven missiles across the country, with the capital Kyiv bearing the brunt of the attack.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the scale of the assault and urged the United States to “exercise its power to force Russia into peace,” following what he described as a relentless overnight offensive.

Kyiv Under Heavy Fire

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Kyiv was the main target of the barrage. While 284 drones and all seven missiles were intercepted, debris from the interceptions caused significant damage.

Four people were injured in the capital, and fires broke out in at least four districts, after fragments of downed drones hit rooftops of residential buildings and warehouses. Smoke plumes were seen across the city as air defence units responded to the attack. Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, confirmed the incidents.

Odesa Suffers Fatal Strikes

In the southern port city of Odesa, two people were killed and nine others injured. Regional head Oleh Kiper reported that a maternity hospital and several residential buildings in the city centre were damaged in the strikes. The regional prosecutor’s office confirmed the fatalities and ongoing emergency response efforts.

Russian Airports Disrupted After Retaliatory Drone Attack

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defence Ministry announced that 102 Ukrainian drones were intercepted across various regions, including Crimea, central Moscow, and the Leningrad region. The widespread drone activity prompted the temporary closure of four major airports in Russia—all airports in Moscow and Pulkovo Airport in St Petersburg.

The situation marks another escalation in the ongoing conflict, as both countries ramp up their use of aerial drone warfare deep into each other’s territories.

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