Russia Deploys Largest Aerial Attack of Ukraine War, Killing At Least 12 Civilians

Russian forces unleashed a massive aerial assault across Ukraine overnight, launching a total of 367 drones and missiles in what Ukrainian officials described as the largest attack of its kind since the war began. The barrage resulted in at least 12 deaths, including three children in the northern region of Zhytomyr, and left scores of civilians wounded.

Authorities reported devastation in multiple regions, with damage spanning from Kharkiv in the northeast to Mykolaiv in the south and Ternopil in the west. Kyiv, the nation’s capital, endured a series of drone attacks that injured 11 people within city limits. Four additional fatalities were reported in the surrounding Kyiv region.

In a statement posted on Telegram, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the United States and other Western countries to take a stronger stance against Russian aggression. "The silence of America, the silence of others in the world only encourages Putin," Zelenskyy asserted, calling for new sanctions in response to what he labeled a campaign of terror against Ukrainian civilians.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko described the onslaught as a calculated attack on non-military targets. "This was a combined, ruthless strike aimed at civilians. The enemy once again showed that its goal is fear and death," he said.

The overnight offensive coincided with ongoing negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to conduct the last round of a large-scale prisoner exchange, each side set to swap up to 1,000 captives. Despite these efforts, hopes for a de-escalation suffered setbacks earlier in the week when the U.S. administration, under President Donald Trump, declined to impose further sanctions on Russia after Moscow refused to agree to an immediate ceasefire.

Ukraine’s air force reported intercepting a significant portion of the incoming projectiles, claiming to have downed 266 drones and 45 missiles. Nevertheless, debris and explosions caused widespread destruction in several urban centers. In Kharkiv, Mayor Ihor Terekhov confirmed early Sunday that three city districts were hit, injuring three residents and damaging residential buildings.

The onslaught also struck regions far from the frontlines. In Mykolaiv, a drone strike killed a 77-year-old man and wounded five others. The local governor shared images of a heavily damaged apartment block, emphasizing the hazard to civilians miles from active combat zones. The western Khmelnytskyi region saw four deaths and five injuries, underscoring the nationwide scope of the attack.

U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg condemned the bombardment as "a clear violation" of international protocols and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Meanwhile, Ukraine and its European partners reiterated demands for a 30-day ceasefire as a precursor to formal negotiations — a proposal that has so far failed to gain traction with Moscow.

Responding to the attacks, Andriy Yermak, Chief of Staff to the Ukrainian president, warned that without sustained international pressure, "Russia and its allies will only build up forces for such murders in Western countries." He insisted that as long as Russia maintains the capacity to manufacture weapons, it will continue its military campaign.

In Moscow, officials presented a different narrative. Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed that its air defense systems had intercepted or destroyed 95 Ukrainian drones in just four hours. Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, stated that 12 Ukrainian drones were shot down en route to the Russian capital overnight.

The violence underscores the fragile state of security in the region and the persistent threat faced by civilians amid renewed escalations in the conflict. As both sides brace for further confrontations, international calls for peace and increased humanitarian protection remain urgent.