At least two people were killed and several others injured as Russia launched a massive overnight drone and missile assault on Ukraine, continuing a heightened campaign of aerial attacks that has further diminished hopes for ending the war now in its fourth year.
In the southwestern Chernivtsi region, two people died and 14 were injured when Russian forces struck the Bukovina area with four drones and a missile, according to regional Governor Ruslan Zaparaniuk. The fatalities reportedly occurred due to falling debris from a downed drone.
Elsewhere, six people were wounded in a drone strike on Ukraine’s western Lviv region, Governor Maksym Kozytskyi confirmed. In the northeastern city of Kharkiv, eight drones and two missiles struck overnight, leaving three people injured, said Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched a total of 597 drones and decoys, along with 26 cruise missiles, during the attack. Of these, Ukrainian defenses managed to shoot down 319 drones and 25 cruise missiles, while 258 decoy drones were likely neutralized through electronic jamming.
The overnight barrage follows a series of record-setting drone attacks in recent weeks. Earlier this week, Russia fired over 700 drones and decoys in a single night, targeting Lutsk near the Polish border—an area critical for receiving foreign military supplies. In response to the escalation, Poland’s air force scrambled fighter jets near its border with Ukraine.
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Russia's intensified long-range strikes appear to be part of a broader strategy aimed at overwhelming Ukraine's defenses, coinciding with renewed Russian efforts to break through positions along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed to have shot down 33 Ukrainian drones overnight.