Massive Aerial Assault Strikes Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia
In one of the largest air attacks since the war began, Russia launched over 600 missiles and drones at multiple targets across Ukraine early Sunday. Ukrainian officials confirmed that at least four people died, including a 12‑year‑old girl, and dozens were injured across regions including Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported Russia dispatched 595 drones and 48 missiles, including cruise and ballistic types. Though air defenses intercepted 43 cruise missiles and neutralised many drones, several strikes struck civilian areas. In Kyiv, a residential building was damaged and the city’s Cardiology Institute was hit, where two fatalities were reported. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said widespread damage to homes and infrastructure was evident.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, saying it revealed Russia’s “real position,” just as the UN General Assembly concluded. His chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, labelled the assault a “war against civilians.”
Regional Ripples and International Responses
During the assault, Poland scrambled fighter jets into its airspace as a precaution, citing border‐area security amid recent drone overflights from Russia. The country emphasized the need to protect its citizens from spillover risks.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking at the UN General Assembly before the attack, had sharply warned the West against aggression, pledging a “decisive response” to any threat. His comments came days after NATO and EU nations voiced alarm over recent Russian incursions into Polish and Estonian airspace.
Ukraine has sought to reinforce its defenses. The country recently deployed a Patriot missile system donated by Israel, and expects two more systems from Germany later this year. Zelensky stressed that such air defense capabilities are vital to counter ongoing aerial threats and protect Ukrainian cities.
