At least eight dead, including two children, after Russian missiles and drones hit cities across Ukraine overnight
Dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones struck cities across Ukraine overnight, hours after President Zelenskyy publicly warned of an imminent massive Russian air attack.
A warning fulfilled
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took to social media on Wednesday evening with an unusually direct warning: a massive Russian air attack was imminent. He cited a situation report from the Ukrainian air force chief, writing that the probability was high such a strike would be carried out that very night. Zelenskyy used the moment to renew his plea for more air defence missiles, singling out the United States and other countries that can supply Patriot systems. Only days earlier, he had met US President Donald Trump in Washington and later said Trump had promised licences for Patriot missiles.
The protection of people depends directly on the willingness of partners to help with air defence missiles.
Within hours, air raid sirens wailed across the country. Ukrainian media reported that dozens of rockets and cruise missiles, along with hundreds of drones, were launched at targets stretching deep into the west, near the Polish border.
The deadliest strike
The city of Kryvyj Rih, Zelenskyy's hometown, suffered the heaviest blow. Oleksandr Wilkul, head of the city's defence council, said an Iskander-M ballistic missile hit the home of a large family. Six people were killed, including two girls aged five and twelve. Eight others were injured, and Wilkul warned the death toll could rise as rescue workers searched the rubble.
In the capital Kyiv, one person died and two were injured, according to emergency services. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported fires in several districts, likely caused by falling debris. In Lviv, near the Polish border, mayor Andrij Sadowyj said two multi-storey residential buildings were damaged and at least 15 people were injured. Fires broke out after missile strikes on the apartment blocks. One more death was reported from the Poltava region.
- Kryvyj Rih
- 6 fatalities
- Kyiv
- 1 fatalities
- Poltava region
- 1 fatalities
Poland reacts
As the attack unfolded, Poland's armed forces announced on X that they had scrambled fighter jets. The statement described the move as a precautionary measure to secure and protect Polish airspace. Ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems were also placed on alert. The Polish response underscored the proximity of the strikes to NATO's eastern flank.
Air defence under strain
The overnight barrage came just days after the Ukrainian air force acknowledged losing an F-16 fighter jet while it was intercepting enemy aerial objects. Ukrainian commanders have repeatedly said they lack enough anti-aircraft missiles, particularly to counter fast-moving ballistic missiles like the Iskander-M. Zelenskyy's warning explicitly tied civilian safety to the speed of Western arms deliveries.
- President Zelenskyy warns of an imminent massive Russian air attack, citing a report from the Ukrainian air force chief.
- Air raid sirens sound across Ukraine; dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones are launched.
- An Iskander-M ballistic missile hits a family home in Kryvyj Rih, killing six.
- Explosions reported in Kyiv and Lviv; fires break out in residential buildings.
- Poland scrambles fighter jets and puts ground-based air defence on alert.
- Ukrainian authorities report at least eight dead and more than a dozen injured.
By daybreak, the full extent of the damage was still unclear. Local authorities continued to assess the destruction as emergency crews worked through the debris in multiple cities.
