A large-scale Russian missile and drone strike on Ukraine on Wednesday night resulted in at least 13 civilian deaths, including children, and more than 50 injuries, officials reported Thursday. The offensive, part of Russia’s ongoing campaign against Ukraine, targeted multiple Ukrainian regions, including the capital Kyiv and the western city of Lviv, causing significant damage to homes, infrastructure, and industrial sites.

Among the casualties were six people killed in the Dnipropetrovsk and Poltava regions, including children aged five and 12 in Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy stated that a ballistic missile directly struck a private residence in Kryvyi Rih, killing the children and four adults. The attack in Kyiv resulted in one death and two injuries, with officials confirming that tens of thousands sought shelter in the city’s subway stations overnight.

Ukraine's armed forces reported that Russia launched over 70 missiles—many of them ballistic—and more than 280 attack drones, intercepting the majority. The Russian Defense Ministry said their offensive targeted military-industrial facilities, including arms factories, drone depots, telecommunications centers, and infrastructure used for missile and aircraft repairs. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military continued strikes on Russian energy facilities and transportation networks, including the destruction of four cargo vessels in the Black Sea and Azov Sea, and multiple drone attacks on warehouses belonging to the Russian online retailer Wildberries, causing fires and evacuations at depots deep inside Russia.

Amid the Ukrainian conflict, tensions escalated internationally when a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile crossed into Polish airspace and exploded in a rural field near the village of Tarnawa-Kolonia, about 57 miles from the Ukrainian border. The missile left a crater approximately 10 meters wide but caused no casualties or significant damage. Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the event as a serious incident but emphasized there was no indication Poland was the missile’s intended target. Poland, a NATO member, responded by scrambling fighter jets, deploying attack helicopters, and activating air defenses to secure its airspace.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte condemned the missile crossing as a reckless act by Russia, warning of the risks it posed to European security. NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander for Europe, Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, assured that the alliance would continue taking all necessary measures to defend its territory. The incident raised concerns among European leaders, including the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission, who called the missile incursion an unacceptable breach of airspace and a threat to regional stability.

In response to the ongoing missile threat, President Zelenskyy again urged Ukraine’s Western allies to accelerate the delivery of air defense systems, particularly Patriot missile batteries, which he described as critical to protecting civilians. He noted the current shortage of anti-ballistic interceptors has exacerbated vulnerabilities, highlighting that some Western stockpiles have been depleted due to conflicts elsewhere, such as in Iran. While Zelenskyy reported discussions with U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, about granting Ukraine licenses to manufacture its own Patriot missiles, production is expected to take several months.

The attacks mark a continuation of Russia’s persistent efforts to degrade Ukraine’s military and economic infrastructure while escalating pressure on the West amid fears that the conflict could spill over into NATO territory. Both sides continue to engage in strikes far beyond frontline areas, with Ukraine targeting assets deep inside Russia and Russia focusing on urban centers and logistics hubs across Ukraine.