KYIV — A widespread barrage of Russian missiles and long-range attack drones slammed into Ukrainian cities and surrounding districts overnight into Thursday, injuring at least 19 people—including children—and leaving extensive damage across residential neighborhoods.
The nationwide escalation sent air alarms blaring through the early morning hours, forcing thousands of residents into underground metro stations and basements as air defense units engaged incoming threats.
Ukrainian authorities reported that the heaviest damage occurred in the capital, Kyiv, and the surrounding region. Shelling and falling missile debris triggered fires in high-rise residential blocks, shattered hundreds of windows, and destroyed local infrastructure.
Emergency crews worked through the night to pull survivors from burning apartment units and clear rubble. Nine of the injured in the capital were immediately hospitalized due to blast injuries and severe lacerations, according to municipal officials. Local authorities confirmed that children were among the wounded, with medical teams providing urgent care at nearby hospitals.
In addition to Kyiv, strikes were reported in southern regions like Odesa, where a high-rise residential block suffered direct structural damage from incoming ordinance. Search and rescue operations continued through Thursday morning as city workers began sealing broken windows and restoring severed utilities.
The assault comes amidst a continuous wave of overnight exchanges across the frontline and deep into urban centers. Ukrainian military officials stated that air defenses intercepted dozens of incoming suicide drones and cruise missiles, though several managed to breach the defensive shield.
"This was a targeted attempt to inflict maximum terror on civilian centers while people slept," one regional military official noted as emergency teams surveyed the blast sites.
As emergency crews evaluate the structural integrity of damaged buildings and clear street debris, officials warn that the casualty count could rise further while rescue operations continue.
International leaders swiftly condemned the late-night strikes, reiterating calls for urgent air defense reinforcements to help secure Ukrainian skies against relentless aerial bombardments.
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