A major Russian missile and drone attack has killed at least 14 people across Ukraine, in one of Moscow’s largest assaults in recent months.
Officials said nine people were killed in Dnipro and five others died in the capital, Kyiv. Dozens more were injured, including children, after overnight strikes hit apartment buildings and civilian infrastructure.
Emergency teams in Kyiv worked through the rubble as rescuers searched for people feared trapped under damaged buildings.
Air Raid Alerts Spread Across Ukraine
Air raid warnings were active across much of Ukraine early on Tuesday as Russia launched a large wave of drones and missiles.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia fired 656 strike drones and 73 missiles, including ballistic, cruise, and anti-ship missiles.
Zelensky said the main target was Kyiv, where residential buildings and civilian facilities were damaged again. He called for urgent help from the United States, especially more missiles for Patriot air defence systems.
Dnipro Apartment Block Badly Damaged
In Dnipro, Zelensky said part of a four-storey apartment building was nearly destroyed. A child was among the nine people killed there, and rescue teams were still searching for six missing people.
More than 70 people were injured across Kyiv and Dnipro.
Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine, also reported damage to energy facilities and civilian infrastructure. Officials said 10 people were injured there, including a child.
Further south, an industrial facility in Zaporizhzhia was also struck as several regions came under attack.
Kyiv Hit by Explosions and Fires
Large smoke clouds were seen rising over central Kyiv after the strikes. City officials warned that ballistic missiles had been launched, while Mayor Vitali Klitschko urged residents to stay in shelters.
Residents heard drones flying overhead, followed by repeated explosions throughout the early morning.
The attack caused fires near a petrol station, a construction site, apartment buildings, and private homes. Power outages were also reported in parts of the capital.
Russia Says Attack Was Retaliation
Russia’s defence ministry said the strikes were launched in response to earlier Ukrainian attacks and claimed that all targets had been hit.
Moscow had warned last week that it would carry out systematic strikes after accusing Ukraine of attacking a student dormitory in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine.
Kyiv said that previous attack had targeted a Russian military unit, not a civilian site.
Ukraine Calls for More Support
Zelensky had warned on Monday night that a major Russian strike could be coming and urged Ukrainians to take air raid alerts seriously.
After the attack, he again called for more air defence support, especially Patriot missiles. Supplies have become limited, partly because US and Israeli military operations against Iran have increased demand for the same systems.
Since returning to office, US President Donald Trump has stopped direct military supplies to Ukraine. As a result, European allies have been buying US-made weapons and sending them to Kyiv.
Attacks Continue After Ceasefire Collapse
Russia has launched several waves of missile and drone attacks on Kyiv since a brief ceasefire expired in May.
One earlier strike on an apartment block killed 24 people, including three children. Ukraine later responded with an attack on the Moscow region, which Russian officials said killed three people.
Ukraine described Moscow’s threats of further strikes as blackmail and urged its allies to increase pressure on Russia.
War Shows No Sign of Easing
The latest attack shows that Russia’s air campaign against Ukrainian cities remains intense. Civilian areas, energy facilities, and residential buildings continue to be hit as both sides trade accusations over responsibility for the escalation.
For Ukraine, the immediate priority is rescue work, restoring power, and securing more air defence systems. For civilians in cities like Kyiv and Dnipro, the overnight assault is another reminder that the war remains far from over.