LONDON (FN) — Russia launched a massive aerial assault on Ukraine overnight into Thursday, firing 705 drones and missiles in what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called a “complex, combined strike” targeting cities across the country.
According to Ukraine’s air force, the barrage included 653 drones and 52 missiles of various types. Of those, 592 drones and 31 missiles were intercepted or suppressed by Ukrainian defenses.
Sixteen missiles and 63 drones managed to strike targets in 20 different locations, causing widespread damage to civilian infrastructure and energy facilities, the air force said.
The attack was the second-largest aerial bombardment since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, surpassed only by the September 6–7 assault, when 823 drones and missiles were launched in a single night.
Zelenskyy reported that strikes hit the capital Kyiv and at least nine other regions, stretching from the southeastern frontlines to Ukraine’s western border with Poland. “It was a complex, combined strike,” he said in a social media post.
In Zaporizhzhia, a missile hit a residential building, killing at least two people and injuring dozens. “There have also been many vile strikes on energy facilities and civilian life across the regions,” Zelenskyy wrote. Emergency crews were deployed to restore power and water services.
Ukraine’s government activated emergency response protocols across affected regions. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said mobile power units were being dispatched and called on allies to expedite delivery of air defense systems.
Ukrainian and international leaders condemned Russia’s massive aerial assault, pledging emergency aid, sanctions, and renewed military support in response to the 705-missile-and-drone barrage.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its forces shot down 173 Ukrainian drones overnight, including nine over the Moscow region. Six of those were reportedly heading toward the capital.
The scale and intensity of the latest attack have renewed calls for enhanced air defense systems and greater international support for Ukraine as the war grinds on into its third year. Zelenskyy warned, “Russia’s war against life itself must be met with real consequences.
