Russia pounds Ukraine with nearly 500 drones in biggest aerial attack, leaves four dead

KYIV: A massive Russian assault on Ukraine stretched for more than 12 hours on Sunday, leaving at least four people dead and over 40 others injured, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy said that the strikes were “a deliberate, targeted terror against ordinary cities,” with nearly 500 attack drones and more than 40 missiles, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, used in the operation.

According to the Ukrainian leader, the main targets included Kyiv and its surrounding region, as well as Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv and Odesa. In the capital, the building of the Cardiology Institute was hit, where four deaths were reported, among them a 12-year-old girl.

“My condolences to all the families and loved ones,” Zelenskyy said in his message.

A massive Russian attack on Ukraine lasted for more than 12 hours. Savage strikes, a deliberate, targeted terror against ordinary cities – nearly 500 attack drones and over 40 missiles, including Kinzhal missiles. This morning, Russian-Iranian “shaheds” are again in our skies.… pic.twitter.com/fshvsbMkIg

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 28, 2025

Emergency services said civilian facilities bore the brunt of the attack. A bread-production unit, a tyre factory, residential buildings and other infrastructure were damaged across multiple regions. Rescue and medical teams have been deployed.

“This vile attack came virtually at the close of UN General Assembly week, and this is exactly how Russia declares its true position. Moscow wants to keep fighting and killing, and it deserves the toughest pressure from the world,” Zelenskyy said.

He added that Russia continued to finance its war “as long as it earns revenue from energy and operates a shadow fleet,” stressing that Ukraine would keep striking back to cut off those revenue streams.

He also urged world leaders to follow Trump’s tariff tactics and use strong measures against Russia to put an end to this war.

“Everyone who wants peace must back President Trump’s efforts and halt any Russian imports. The time for decisive action is long overdue,” he said, urging a strong response from the United States, Europe, the G7 and the G20.

Officials stated that drone activity resumed early Sunday morning, with Iranian-made Shahed drones spotted in Ukrainian airspace. Local authorities in Odesa and Mykolaiv reported fresh explosions in the early hours.

Earlier on Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on said Moscow is open to negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, stressing that Russia’s security concerns and the rights of Russian-speaking people must be addressed before any settlement.

“As President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly emphasised, Russia has been and remains open to negotiations on eliminating the root causes of the conflict,” Lavrov said at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

“Russia’s security and its vital interest must be reliably agreed. The rights of Russians and Russian-speaking people in the territories that remain under the control of the Kyiv regime must be restored in full. On this basis, we are ready to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine.” (ANI)