Russian missile and drone strikes across Ukraine on Saturday resulted in the deaths of six to seven people and caused multiple injuries, according to Ukrainian officials. The attacks targeted several cities, including Kyiv, Sumy, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv, and inflicted damage on civilian infrastructure.
In Kyiv, the capital, at least 12 people were reported wounded, including two children, following overnight missile and drone attacks. City officials confirmed damage to apartment buildings, offices, and a theological school. Explosions were heard in the early hours, prompting air raid sirens. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that some civilian infrastructure was hit before the air raid alert was even issued, illustrating the rapid nature of the strikes.
The northern city of Sumy experienced significant losses when guided aerial bombs struck a crowded area, killing between four and five people, including a young girl, and injuring dozens more. Reports indicated that one bomb hit a bus stop, severely damaging a yellow bus. In the southern port city of Odesa, missile strikes killed two people and wounded others. The southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia also suffered injuries from glide bombs.
According to Ukraine’s air force, the Russian attack involved more than 120 drones and multiple missiles, including six ballistic and six cruise missiles. Ukraine’s air defenses managed to intercept many of the incoming threats but struggled to neutralize the ballistic missiles, which travel at several times the speed of sound. Ukrainian officials said they shot down at least 111 drones and two cruise missiles overnight.
Zelensky appealed to international partners for faster and greater military assistance, highlighting Ukraine’s urgent need for air defense munitions amid ongoing shortages. He emphasized the importance of fulfilling agreements on arms supplies promptly and cited a recent agreement by U.S. President Donald Trump to license Ukraine to manufacture Patriot air defense missiles as a critical step that must be implemented without delay. Ukraine has faced difficulties defending against ballistic missile attacks due to limited munitions for its Patriot systems.
Separately, Ukrainian forces intensified drone strikes targeting Russian military logistics in occupied southern Ukraine, aiming to disrupt supply lines. Ukrainian drone forces reported multiple successful attacks on fuel tanker vessels and cargo ships in the Sea of Azov, seeking to pressure Russia to negotiate. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has not indicated any willingness to engage in diplomacy.
Russian authorities reported casualties from a drone strike on several vessels in Taganrog Bay, including a tanker carrying methanol.
The ongoing attacks underscore the persistence of hostilities in the conflict, which has entered its fifth year since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022. Both sides continue to experience and inflict significant military and civilian losses amid intensified exchanges of fire.