Russia unleashed its largest aerial assault on Ukraine overnight, launching hundreds of drones and missiles that left at least 10 people dead and dozens injured, Ukrainian officials said on Sunday.
According to Ukraine’s Air Force, the attack involved a staggering 537 aerial weapons, including 477 drones and decoys and 60 cruise and ballistic missiles. The strike targeted regions across the country, reaching as far as Lviv in western Ukraine, an area that typically sees fewer attacks.
In Kyiv, residents sought shelter in metro stations as explosions and gunfire echoed through the capital. Lviv’s Drohobych city reported an industrial site fire and partial power outages due to drone strikes.
Ukrainian forces said they managed to destroy 211 drones and 38 missiles. Another 249 threats were shot down or electronically jammed, while 226 turned out to be non-explosive decoys, according to the Associated Press.
Tragically, an F-16 fighter pilot died while attempting to repel the onslaught. Ukrainian authorities said the pilot steered the US-made jet away from populated areas before crashing, leaving no time to eject. Ukraine has now lost three F-16s since the aircraft were deployed last year.
Civilian casualties were reported across multiple regions. Three fatalities each occurred in the Kherson, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions due to drone attacks. One person died in Kostyantynivka during an airstrike, and another was killed in Kherson shelling. In Zaporizhzhia, rescuers recovered the body of a 70-year-old woman trapped under a collapsed nine-story building.
President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated urgent calls for increased military aid from the United States and Western allies, stressing the need for stronger air defences amid escalating Russian offensives.
The unprecedented attack came shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was open to resuming peace talks in Istanbul. Previous negotiations in Turkey failed to make progress.
Air defences in Poland and allied NATO countries were activated to protect Polish airspace against potential spillover threats from the massive assault.
Local authorities said at least 12 people were injured as homes and infrastructure sustained widespread damage across Ukraine.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)