Deadly Russian Strikes Across Ukraine: At Least 22 Killed, Including Children

A massive Russian missile and drone strike on Ukraine overnight has resulted in at least 22 deaths, including two children, as rescue workers continue to search through the debris of civilian buildings in major cities. The attack, which also left over 100 people injured, constitutes one of the most severe bombardments by Moscow in recent months, according to Ukrainian officials. The victims were pulled from destroyed apartment blocks in the central city of Dnipro and the capital, Kyiv, where an eight-year-old boy was among those killed.

In Dnipro, 16 people lost their lives, including three women and the eight-year-old boy, who were all rescued from the rubble of collapsed housing. Another child was also confirmed dead in the same area. Regional officials described the attack as having "essentially demolished" part of a residential building. In Kyiv, six people were killed as dozens of residential structures and civilian infrastructure were damaged, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian president stated that Russia launched 656 strike drones and 73 various types of missiles—ballistic, cruise, and anti-ship—during the overnight assault, targeting energy facilities and civilian sites across the country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that the main force of the attack was directed at Kyiv, where widespread damage was inflicted on purely civilian areas, including residential buildings, a petrol station, and a construction site. Fires broke out in multiple locations across the capital, and blackouts were reported in parts of the city. In response, over 41,000 people—including almost 4,500 children—sheltered in the Kyiv metro overnight, which officials said set a record for recent years. One resident sheltering in the metro expressed despair, saying she had "lost all hope" for an end to the war, while another criticized Western aid as insufficient for their survival.

Russia's defence ministry confirmed the strikes, describing them as a response to previous Ukrainian attacks. The Kremlin framed the operation as part of "systematic strikes" and pledged such actions would continue. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the attacks were targeting military infrastructure, a claim contested by Kyiv and international observers. Ukrainian officials, including President Zelensky, highlighted the urgent need for more air defense systems, specifically Patriot missiles, which have been in short supply due to reduced U.S. support and other global priorities. Kyiv's European allies have been purchasing these systems from the U.S. to send to Ukraine.

The attack also extended beyond the major cities. In Kharkiv, located in the north-east, 10 people were injured, including a child, with energy facilities and civilian infrastructure hit. An industrial facility in Zaporizhzhia, further south, was also targeted, according to the president. Meanwhile, Ukraine's military confirmed it had struck Russian targets in Kursk and Krasnodar in response, including an oil refinery fire.

The assault has drawn international condemnation, with Ukraine accusing Russia of "nothing short of shameless blackmail" and urging allies to increase pressure on Moscow. The strikes follow an earlier brief ceasefire that expired in early May, and since then, Russia has launched several waves of attacks on Kyiv, including previous strikes on apartment blocks that killed 24 people, among them three children.

The scale of civilian casualties and infrastructure damage underscores the intensified conflict between the two nations. President Zelensky has repeatedly called for increased military aid, particularly for air defense systems, to protect Ukrainian cities from such devastating attacks. As rescue operations continue, the human and material toll of the overnight strike marks another grim chapter in the ongoing war.