Ukraine reported on Sunday that Russia launched one of its most intense overnight assaults of the war, firing hundreds of drones and missiles over a 12-hour period that killed at least four people in Kyiv, including a 12-year-old girl.
More than 40 others were wounded across multiple regions.
Poland scrambled fighter jets and placed air defences on high alert as Moscow’s barrage triggered fears of further violations of NATO airspace. Alliance officials have accused Russia of repeated incursions in recent weeks, raising tensions as the war nears its fourth year.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Moscow’s actions as a “war against civilians” and called for stronger Western sanctions to choke off Russia’s energy revenues. “The Kremlin benefits from continuing this war and terror as long as there are profits from energy sales,” he warned.
The strikes hit residential blocks, a cardiology centre, and a kindergarten, according to Ukraine’s foreign ministry. In total, Ukraine’s military reported 643 projectiles, including drones, missiles, and glide bombs, were unleashed across eastern, central, and southern regions. Rescue teams continued searching the rubble for more victims.
Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine’s presidential office, vowed there would be a response and pressed Western allies to intensify economic measures against Moscow.
At the United Nations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov dismissed the accusations and warned NATO that any aggression “will be met with a decisive response.” He cautioned countries against intercepting Russian objects in its airspace, saying, “they will very much regret it.”
Zelensky revealed that Ukraine has received its first US-made Patriot air defence system from Israel, with two more expected soon. Israel’s stance has shifted as its ties with Moscow frayed over Russia’s partnership with Iran and its criticism of Israel’s Gaza campaign.
Meanwhile, Kyiv and Moscow confirmed that the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, has been disconnected from the grid for four days, reviving fears of a potential nuclear crisis.
What you should know
Russia’s 12-hour assault on Ukraine underscores the escalating intensity of the war as civilian sites and critical infrastructure come under fire.
The attacks deepen NATO concerns over airspace violations while Kyiv pushes for tougher Western sanctions and more advanced weapons, even as the threat of a nuclear disaster looms.
