“Russia bombards Ukraine with the largest number of ballistic missiles since the start of the war”

©picture alliance / Anadolu | Danylo Antoniuk

Russia has once again heavily bombarded Ukraine with a large combination of missiles and drones, with Kyiv as the main target. According to Ukrainian authorities, this marks a record number of ballistic missiles in a single attack since the start of the full-scale war.

Russia fired 41 missiles and 125 attack drones during the night from Saturday to Sunday. This was reported by the Ukrainian Air Force. Of these, 18 missiles and 108 drones were shot down or disrupted, but strikes still hit twenty locations. In Kyiv, at least one person was killed and several others were injured.

Acting Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the attack on X as a “brutal terrorist attack” on the Ukrainian capital. According to him, Russia fired “the largest number of ballistic missiles since the start of the war” —about four dozen in total. He called for a strong international response and for “devastating pressure” on Moscow to stop the attacks.

Ukrainian air defenses were under heavy pressure. President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized on X that protection against ballistic missiles remains a top priority. The attack caused fires and damage in several locations across the capital, where homes, offices, and other buildings were hit. The attack was also felt elsewhere in Ukraine. According to Kyiv, the combination of missiles and drones once again demonstrates how Russia is attempting to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defense with massive waves of attacks. The city of Kyiv has been the target of large-scale attacks on several previous occasions, but according to the Ukrainian government, this attack stands out due to the high number of ballistic missiles. The Kremlin has not yet responded to the latest accusations. Ukraine says it needs more Western air defense systems to better repel such attacks.

©picture alliance / Anadolu | Danylo Antoniuk