At least eight people, including children, were killed during overnight missile and drone attacks by Russian forces targeting multiple Ukrainian cities, according to Ukrainian emergency services. The strikes struck near Kryvyi Rih, a central Ukrainian city close to President Volodymyr Zelensky’s birthplace, with several children aged six, 11, and 17 among the fatalities. Local officials indicated the death toll might rise as rescue operations continue.
The attacks form part of a recent escalation in Russia’s use of missiles and drones against civilian areas in Ukraine. Ukrainian air defense forces reported intercepting some, but not all, of the projectiles launched. Specifically, Ukraine’s air force said it managed to shoot down 54 out of 61 Russian cruise missiles and 265 out of 284 drones, many of which are reportedly long-range Iranian-made Shahed models. However, they intercepted only one of nine ballistic missiles, underscoring Ukraine’s ongoing vulnerability to this threat.
President Zelensky condemned the attacks and highlighted the urgent need for enhanced missile defense capabilities, particularly Patriot missile interceptors supplied by Western allies. He attributed some of the casualties to delays in the delivery of these systems. Zelensky met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington this week to seek a license for Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptors domestically, a move seen as crucial given the long timelines involved in procurement and production. Meanwhile, Trump has expressed support for Ukraine receiving such licenses, though actual delivery of interceptors remains a challenge amid competing demands elsewhere, notably in the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, which is depleting global Patriot missile reserves.
In addition to the attacks on Ukrainian territory, one Russian missile reportedly crossed into Polish airspace, exploding in a field in the eastern village of Tarnawa Kolonia, approximately 57 miles from the Ukrainian border. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk referred to the incident as a “serious” airspace violation and identified the projectile as likely being a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile, although investigations remain ongoing. Polish armed forces responded by scrambling fighter jets after radar detected an unidentified object moving westward within their airspace, underscoring heightened regional tensions caused by the conflict.
The latest barrage prompted widespread alarms in Ukraine, with Kyiv officials reporting more than 56,000 civilians seeking shelter in subway stations, which have become key safe havens amid the intensifying attacks. President Zelensky warned citizens to remain vigilant in anticipation of further strikes, emphasizing the ongoing threat posed by Russian missile and drone barrages to civilian populations across Ukraine.