Russian missile and drone attack kills 16 across Ukraine

Russia launches one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine, firing hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight at Kyiv and several other cities, killing at least 16 civilians and injuring more than 100 people, according to Ukrainian authorities.

The attack causes widespread destruction across the country, with apartment buildings collapsing and emergency crews racing to rescue people trapped beneath the rubble. In the central city of Dnipro, rescuers recover the bodies of a mother and her eight-year-old son, along with a three-year-old child, highlighting the devastating human toll of the strikes.

Ukrainian officials say Russia fires 73 missiles and 656 drones during the assault, targeting Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Poltava, Zaporizhzhia and other regions. Air defence systems intercept hundreds of incoming threats, but several missiles and drones still strike residential areas and civilian infrastructure.

In Kyiv, at least four people are killed and more than 60 others are injured. Multiple residential buildings suffer severe damage across eight districts of the capital. Residents describe spending the night in shelters, bathrooms and corridors as explosions echo across the city.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemns the attack and urges stronger military support from the United States and European allies, warning that Russian missile strikes will continue unless Ukraine receives enhanced air defence capabilities.

The latest offensive comes amid intensified Russian aerial operations and growing concerns over shortages of Patriot air defence missiles. Russian President Vladimir Putin signals that Moscow will continue its military campaign, while ongoing international efforts to secure a ceasefire remain stalled.

The attack marks another major escalation in the more than four-year-long conflict, which continues to inflict heavy civilian casualties and widespread destruction across Ukraine.