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Kyiv and other cities have been pounded with waves of drone and missile strikes
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Russia launched one of its most intense bombing raids on Ukraine, targeting Kyiv and other cities during Monday morning rush hour. The assault, involving MiG-31K warplanes, naval vessels, and strategic bombers, hit more than half of Ukraine's regions.
Hotel Sapphire was hit by Iskander-M Russian ballistic missile
Explosions rocked the capital, Kyiv, as well as Lutsk, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, and other cities. At least three people were killed, and several others were wounded, with significant damage reported, including the destruction of a residential block in Lutsk. Ukraine's air defences responded to the nationwide air raid alerts, shooting down several drones, but the relentless waves of missiles continued. The attack also caused widespread power outages in Kyiv, Odesa, and Kryvyi Rih, with water supplies disrupted in some areas.
Visibly enraged Putin is seen in a muted video from a weekend meeting with top military chiefs
(Courtesy Photo)
NATO responded by deploying warplanes over Poland and other eastern alliance territories. The strikes came shortly after warnings of an elevated risk of attack around Ukrainian Independence Day, following Ukraine's increased drone assaults on Russia. Ukraine vowed retaliation, with President Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, warning that Russia's attempt to destroy Ukraine's energy infrastructure would come at a high cost to Russia.
Meanwhile, Russia claimed to have intercepted a Ukrainian drone attack on an oil refinery near Moscow and downed 20 Ukrainian drones, including three over the Kursk region. Both nations continue to deny targeting civilians, insisting their attacks focus on critical war infrastructure.
From Agencies
