Additional Coverage:
- Long-range Russian drone, cruise missile and bomb attacks kill at least 6 people across Ukraine (pbs.org)
Russia Unleashes Barrage of Drones and Missiles Across Ukraine
Ukraine faced a relentless onslaught of Russian drones and missiles overnight and into Saturday, resulting in at least six fatalities and dozens of injuries. This marks an escalation in Russia’s bombing campaign, targeting cities across the country.
In southwestern Ukraine’s Chernivtsi region, a combined attack involving four drones and a missile claimed the lives of two individuals and left 26 wounded. Falling drone debris was cited as the cause of the fatalities.
Further west, in the Lviv region, another drone attack resulted in 12 injuries. This region serves as a critical hub for international military aid, prompting Poland’s air force to scramble fighter jets in response to the attacks.
Elsewhere, Kharkiv in the northeast was hit by eight drones and two missiles, wounding three people. The Dnipropetrovsk and Sumy regions also reported two fatalities each following missile and guided bomb strikes, respectively.
According to the Ukrainian air force, Russia launched a staggering 597 drones and decoys, along with 26 cruise missiles, during the overnight barrage. Ukrainian forces successfully intercepted 319 drones and 25 cruise missiles, while 258 decoy drones were reportedly lost, likely due to electronic jamming.
This surge in long-range attacks comes on the heels of a similar barrage earlier this week, where Russia launched over 700 drones and decoys. These intensified attacks coincide with Russia’s ongoing efforts to breach the 620-mile front line, where Ukrainian troops are facing immense pressure.
Russia’s Defense Ministry also reported shooting down 33 Ukrainian drones overnight. Meanwhile, Ukrainian drone strikes caused injuries in Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions, both bordering Ukraine.