Russia targets ‘almost all’ of Ukraine, fires 400 drones, 40 missiles

KYIV: Russia launched a massive strike on Ukraine, firing over 400 drones and 40 missiles across the country, killing at least six people and injuring dozens more, CNN reported, citing a Ukrainian official’s statement.

The attack targeted almost all Ukraine, with nine regions affected, including Kyiv, Lviv, and Sumy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described it as one of the largest attacks since the war began.

Three firefighters were killed in Kyiv, two civilians were killed in Lutsk, and another person was killed in Chernihiv, according to the Ukrainian State Emergency Service, as per CNN.

After the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had used more than 400 drones and 40 missiles in the overnight attack, making it among the war’s largest. He said Moscow’s attack injured 80 and targeted “almost all” of Ukraine, listing nine regions, from Lviv in the west to Sumy in the northeast.

According to CNN, although Russia has pummeled Ukraine almost daily over three years of full-scale war, Ukrainians had been bracing for retaliation since last Sunday, when Kyiv launched an audacious operation that struck more than a third of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers.

During the telephonic conversation with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would have to respond to Kyiv’s assault.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its strikes were in response to what it called Kyiv’s “terrorist acts.” It was not immediately clear if the attack was the extent of Russia’s pledged retaliation, or if Putin intends to escalate further. After the embarrassment of Kyiv’s operation, there was a chorus of bellicose calls from pro-Kremlin pundits for a severe – potentially nuclear – response.

Although Ukrainians had been buoyed last weekend by the news of Kyiv’s successful operation, many were wary of how Russia might strike back. But after Friday’s strikes, Kyiv residents told CNN they supported Ukraine’s strikes against the aircraft Moscow has used to bomb Ukraine for more than three years.

“It didn’t break us at all. The morale is as high as it was. We strongly believe in our armed forces,” said Olha, a 39-year-old from the capital who did not wish to give her last name.

She said the apparent “retaliation” from Russia was not so different to countless other nights of the war. “Maybe (this was the retaliation), but maybe the retaliation is yet to come. Either way, it doesn’t change our attitude towards the enemy or towards our country.” (ANI)