KYIV, April 16: Russia launched a massive overnight assault on Ukraine using hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, killing at least 16 people and injuring more than 100 others, according to Ukrainian officials.
The attack, which lasted for hours from daytime into the night, was one of the largest recent bombardments, with nearly 700 drones and multiple ballistic and cruise missiles deployed. Authorities said the strikes primarily targeted civilian areas.
In Kyiv, at least four people were killed, including a 12-year-old child, and more than 50 were injured. The strikes damaged residential buildings, private homes, and several public facilities, including a hotel, office centre, car dealership, gas station, and shopping mall.
Residents described intense explosions, shattered windows, and widespread panic as they took shelter during repeated waves of attacks.
Elsewhere in Ukraine, nine people were killed in the southern port city of Odesa, while three women died in the central Dnipro region and one person was killed in Zaporizhzhia.
Officials reported extensive destruction across multiple regions, with 17 apartment buildings and 10 private homes damaged in Kyiv alone.
Ukrainian authorities said air defences intercepted or neutralised 667 of 703 incoming targets, including hundreds of drones, though 20 drones and 12 missiles still struck 26 locations.
Ukrainian officials condemned the attacks as war crimes, saying they must not be normalised.
The strikes came shortly after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy travelled to Germany, Norway, and Italy to seek additional air defence systems.
Ukraine has stressed its urgent need for more missile defence capabilities, particularly US-made Patriot systems, which are considered critical for intercepting ballistic missiles.
Russia said the operation was carried out in retaliation for Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, claiming it targeted Ukrainian military-related infrastructure.\
Moscow’s Defence Ministry also reported that Ukrainian drone attacks killed two people in the Russian Black Sea port of Tuapse and damaged multiple residential and public buildings.
Russia said it intercepted over 200 Ukrainian drones overnight. European leaders condemned the assault, calling it another severe escalation of the war.
Ukraine continues to rely heavily on Western military aid while pushing for faster delivery of air defence systems and financial support from the European Union.
Officials warned that delays in assistance and shortages of missile interceptors are increasing vulnerability to such large-scale attacks.
The latest strikes underscore the ongoing intensity of the conflict, with both sides continuing long-range attacks despite heavy civilian impact and rising international concern. (AP)
