Russia launches largest air attack on Ukraine, killing 12

Russian forces launched a massive overnight assault on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, firing 367 drones and missiles in what Ukrainian officials described as the largest aerial attack of the war to date. 

At least 12 people were killed and dozens more injured, authorities confirmed. Among the dead were three children in the northern Zhytomyr region, local officials said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged the United States to take a stronger public stance against Russia and its leader, aladimir Putin, following what he described as American silence under President Donald Trump’s administration.

“The silence of America, the silence of others in the world only encourages Putin,” Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram. “Every such terrorist Russian strike is reason enough for new sanctions against Russia.”

Though previous attacks have resulted in more casualties, this was the largest in terms of the number of weapons launched. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported 12 fatalities and 60 injuries. Earlier, regional authorities had estimated 13 deaths.

“This was a calculated, brutal strike targeting civilians. The enemy continues to show its goal is to spread fear and death,” Klymenko posted on Telegram.

The attack coincides with ongoing efforts by Ukraine and Russia to complete the final phase of a prisoner exchange, in which each side is set to release 1,000 captives.

Ceasefire Hopes Diminished

Ukraine, backed by its European allies, has been pushing for a 30-day ceasefire as a step toward ending the three-year conflict. However, those efforts were undermined earlier in the week when President Trump declined to impose further sanctions on Moscow for its refusal to agree to an immediate pause in hostilities.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 298 drones and 69 missiles overnight. Air defense systems reportedly intercepted 266 drones and 45 missiles.

The assault caused significant damage across multiple regions, including Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, as well as Mykolaiv in the south and Ternopil in the west.

In Kyiv, the city’s military administration chief Tymur Tkachenko said 11 people were injured by drone attacks. No fatalities were reported within the capital, though four deaths were confirmed in surrounding areas.

This marked the second large-scale aerial offensive in two days. On Friday evening, Russia had already launched waves of drones and ballistic missiles targeting Kyiv.

In Kharkiv, drone strikes hit three districts, injuring three people and shattering windows in high-rise buildings, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. In Mykolaiv, a 77-year-old man was killed and five others injured, according to the regional governor, who shared images of a damaged apartment block with rubble strewn around.

In the western region of Khmelnytskyi—far from the frontlines—four people were killed and five wounded, local officials reported.

“Without international pressure, nothing will change,” said Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to President Zelenskiy. “Russia and its allies will only grow stronger and eventually bring violence to Western nations. Moscow will fight for as long as it can produce weapons.”

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed that its air defenses intercepted or destroyed 95 Ukrainian drones in a four-hour span. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 12 Ukrainian drones had been shot down en route to the Russian capital.