Ukraine government said that Russia launched fierce air strikes on the capital city of Kyiv and other cities overnight, continuing until early Tuesday. This wave of large-scale attacks has resulted in at least 11 deaths and over a hundred people injured.
According to reports from the Associated Press, the Ukrainian Air Force stated that Russia fired 73 missiles and deployed 656 drones across Ukraine, targeting major cities including Kyiv, the central city of Dnipro, and the eastern cities of Poltava, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian air defense forces managed to shoot down or destroy 40 missiles and 602 drones.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that at least 38 locations were targeted by 30 ballistic missiles, multiple cruise missiles, and 33 drones. Debris from the drones fell in 15 locations.
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine released a statement on Telegram indicating that in Kyiv, at least 4 people died and 63 were injured, including 3 children. Several residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were damaged in 8 administrative districts of Kyiv.
Witnesses reported that on Tuesday morning, thousands of people rushed into the Kyiv metro system seeking shelter.
The Ukrainian emergency rescue department stated that the Russian air strikes on Dnipro resulted in at least 6 deaths and 36 injuries. As the first batch of rescue personnel arrived on the scene, a second wave of attacks claimed the life of a rescuer.
In Kharkiv, at least 14 people were injured, with residential homes, garages, and vehicles damaged. Part of a two-story residential building and a four-story apartment building were also damaged, trapping people under the rubble.
According to reports from Reuters, in this ongoing conflict that has lasted for over four years, Russia has been targeting Ukraine’s power supply and infrastructure, while Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russian oil facilities this year. Both sides deny targeting civilians.
Ukrainian President Zelensky previously warned that Russia was preparing for a new offensive and urged the public to remain vigilant.
Last week, the Kremlin warned of a “systematic strike” on Kyiv in retaliation for an attack on a dormitory in the Luhansk region controlled by Russian forces, which reportedly resulted in 21 deaths. Ukraine denies carrying out this attack.
A spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force stated that Russian forces deployed up to eight Zircon hypersonic missiles in this round of air strikes. According to Moscow, the Zircon missile has a range of 1,000 kilometers (625 miles) and travels at nine times the speed of sound.
The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that precision long-range weapons were used to launch a “large-scale strike” on Ukraine’s defense industry facilities.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Air Force also conducted strikes within Russian territory. Russian authorities reported that the Ilsky refinery in the Krasnodar region of southern Russia caught fire after being targeted by drones.
Local government officials posted on Telegram that a Ukrainian drone hit a residential building in the Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, injuring an 11-year-old boy.
Russian news agencies cited the Ministry of Defense as saying that Russia shot down 148 Ukrainian drones overnight.
The Polish Armed Forces Command stated on social media platform X on Tuesday that Polish military aircraft were scrambled to ensure airspace safety following Russia’s air strikes on Ukraine.