Russian forces carried out a series of deadly missile and drone strikes across Ukraine overnight, targeting residential buildings and critical energy infrastructure in multiple regions, according to Ukrainian officials. The attacks resulted in at least 24 fatalities and widespread damage, as Moscow intensifies its air campaign ahead of the winter months.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that the strikes hit 12 regions, including Kyiv, Pryluky, Dnipro, Kremenchuk, Zaporizhzhia, and Oleksandriya. Energy infrastructure was among the main targets, leading to power outages in several districts of Kyiv. The country’s energy ministry attributed these shutdowns directly to the Russian attacks and urged citizens to avoid overloading the electrical grid.
Zelenskyy condemned the strikes as deliberate attempts to inflict maximum harm, saying, “One of the key targets was our energy infrastructure. The Russians wanted to strike painfully and demonstratively.” His remarks came shortly after he had warned of a large-scale Russian offensive in his nightly address on Tuesday.
The city of Pryluky, located about 150 kilometers east of Kyiv, was heavily impacted when a missile strike destroyed a five-story apartment complex, killing at least 18 people. Among the victims were four children, including three infants and an eight-year-old boy, the Ukrainian State Emergency Service confirmed. Emergency responders continued to search for survivors amid the rubble. Residents described the blast as devastating, with shattered windows and significant structural damage.
In central Ukraine, the strikes caused casualties and damage in Dnipro and Kremenchuk, where several apartment buildings were hit, resulting in at least four deaths and multiple injuries. Additional casualties were reported in Zaporizhzhia and Oleksandriya. Kyiv authorities confirmed two deaths and fires caused by strikes in the Darnytskyi district, a densely populated area of the capital.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched approximately 70 missiles and 130 explosive drones, including around a third that were jet-powered. Ukrainian defenses intercepted 44 missiles and 117 drones during the assault.
In response, Russia’s defence ministry stated the attacks targeted industrial facilities involved in producing and storing Ukraine’s Flamingo cruise missiles and drones, as well as port and shipping infrastructure in the Odesa region.
The timing of the latest strikes coincided with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 74th birthday. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha condemned the attacks on social media, asserting that Russian military actions constitute war crimes under international law due to the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure.
As the air raids escalate, residents of Kyiv and other cities have sought shelter in subway stations and other secure locations following frequent air raid alerts. Officials have warned that such attacks may continue or intensify as winter approaches, further straining Ukraine’s energy systems and humanitarian conditions.