Russia launched a major Ukraine drone missile raid on Thursday, hitting Kyiv and several other parts of the country with drones and missiles. Ukrainian officials said the attack included hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles. The assault caused damage in several cities and raised fresh concerns about Ukraine’s air defense needs.
Ukraine’s air force said the overnight attack involved two Oniks cruise missiles, 258 drones and an unspecified number of ballistic missiles. Ukrainian forces said they destroyed nearly 90 percent of the drones. They also reported intercepting one Oniks missile and seven ballistic missiles.
Explosions were heard in Kyiv during the attack. Debris fell in two parts of the capital, damaging a school and breaking windows at a health care facility. The Kyiv region also reported damage to warehouses and private homes. Two people were injured in the surrounding area after fires broke out at warehouse sites.
The scale of the attack showed the continued pressure on Ukraine’s air defense system. Kyiv has faced repeated Russian missile and drone strikes in recent months. Ukraine has said it needs more interceptors to defend against ballistic missiles, which are harder to stop than many drones.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for more support from European allies. He said new air defense help could save lives by giving Ukraine more protection from attacks. Ukraine has recently received a small batch of additional interceptors, but officials continue to seek more supplies.
The attack was not limited to Kyiv. Ukrainian officials said Russia also struck infrastructure in the Odesa region. Ports, grain storage sites, energy facilities and industrial targets were among the areas reported to have been hit.
Odesa came under attack for much of the night and into the morning. Local officials said infrastructure, an education site and a multi-storey building were damaged. Three people were injured in the city. The port area is important for Ukraine’s trade and grain exports, making damage there a serious economic concern as well as a security issue.
Other regions were also affected. In central Poltava, industrial businesses and an energy facility were attacked. Power was cut to seven settlements. In Kryvyi Rih, two missiles hit an industrial site and injured three people. Three more people were wounded in Zaporizhzhia, according to local officials.
The attack also had a regional impact. Moldova said five drones crossed into its airspace during the wider assault. The incident shows how the war can create risks beyond Ukraine’s borders. Neighboring states have remained alert to the possibility of drones or missiles entering their territory during large attacks.
Russia said its forces targeted parts of Ukraine’s military-industrial sector, along with metal and oil facilities, logistics centers and port infrastructure. Moscow has repeatedly said its attacks focus on military or strategic targets. Ukraine, however, has reported damage to civilian buildings and other important public facilities.
The latest attack comes as diplomatic efforts around the war remain active. Washington has been seeking a path toward ending the conflict, while Ukraine continues to demand stronger security support. The recent visit of CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Moscow has also added interest to efforts to keep communication open.
For people in Ukraine, however, the immediate concern remains safety. The heavy overnight barrage showed that Russia still has the ability to launch large attacks across several regions at once.
The response from Ukraine and its allies will now focus on air defense, infrastructure repair and further military support. The Ukraine drone missile raid also highlights the difficult balance between diplomatic efforts and the continuing reality of war on the ground.
