At least 15 people were killed and more than 75 others injured in a massive overnight wave of Russian missile and drone strikes on Ukraine, authorities confirmed on Tuesday.
According to Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, the capital city Kiev bore the brunt of the onslaught, where a ballistic missile slammed into a nine-story residential building, killing 14 people and wounding 60 others.
In the southern port city of Odessa, one person was reported dead and 10 others injured following separate strikes. Casualties were also recorded in the Kiev and Chernihiv regions, although the exact tolls remain unclear as rescue operations continue.
The head of the Kiev City Military Administration, Tymur Tkachenko, described the scale of the attack as one of the largest in recent months. He said Russia fired 175 Iranian-made drones, over 14 cruise missiles, and two ballistic missiles in a coordinated overnight assault targeting civilian and critical infrastructure.
“They deliberately aimed for residential neighborhoods,” Tkachenko said, “striking schools, apartment blocks, and power systems. This was a terror attack, plain and simple.”
Ukraine’s Interior Ministry reported that at least 27 locations in Kiev alone were hit, including educational institutions and key infrastructure sites. Images from the scene show entire sections of buildings collapsed, charred vehicles, and emergency crews racing to dig through the rubble.
The State Service for Emergencies confirmed that search and rescue operations are still ongoing across multiple sites, with authorities fearing the death toll could rise.
Tuesday’s assault marks a further escalation in Russia’s aerial campaign, which has increasingly targeted Ukraine’s urban centers in recent weeks, often causing high civilian casualties. It comes amid ongoing fighting in the country’s eastern regions and as international talks to revive stalled peace negotiations remain at a standstill.
Ukraine’s government has renewed its calls for increased air defense support from Western allies, citing the growing intensity and precision of Russian strikes on civilian areas.
The international community, including the European Union and United Nations, has condemned the attacks, urging an immediate cessation of hostilities and accountability for war crimes.
As Ukraine mourns yet another night of deadly violence, families across Kiev, Odessa, and beyond are left to sift through the wreckage, searching for loved ones and sheltering from further attacks.
