In a deadly escalation of hostilities, Russia launched a large-scale aerial assault on Ukraine early Friday, targeting multiple regions including the capital, Kyiv, and the northwestern cities of Lutsk and Ternopil. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that at least three people were killed and 49 others injured, adding that the toll may rise.
Russia’s defence ministry said the strikes were in response to “terrorist acts by the Kyiv regime,” adding that it had targeted military sites.
It said its armed forces “overnight launched a massive strike with high-precision long-range air, sea and ground-based weapons, as well as attack drones.”
The strike followed a recent Ukrainian drone offensive dubbed Operation Spider’s Web which reportedly damaged 34% of Russia’s cruise missile carriers by hitting four airbases with 117 drones. That operation was Kyiv’s largest long-range drone campaign to date.
Zelensky identified the dead as emergency services workers and condemned the scale of the Russian offensive, saying more than 400 drones and 40 missiles were used. “Now is exactly the moment when America, Europe, and everyone around the world can stop this war,” he urged in a post on X. He also criticized former US President Donald Trump’s perceived reluctance to pressure Moscow, calling inaction a form of “complicity.”
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If someone is not applying pressure and is giving the war more time to take lives that is complicity and accountability,” Zelensky wrote. “We must act decisively.”
In Kyiv, a residential building was struck, metro services were halted due to damage, and residents were forced into shelters for hours amid air raid sirens. Explosions echoed through the city as air defenses tried to intercept the swarm of drones, some visibly lit against the night sky.
Ternopil’s regional head described the attack as the worst airstrike the area has experienced. Damage was reported to homes, schools, and government offices. In Lutsk, 15 drones and six missiles injured five people, officials said.
Meanwhile, Russia’s defense ministry claimed its forces intercepted 174 Ukrainian drones across Russian territory and occupied Crimea, as well as Neptune anti-ship missiles over the Black Sea.
Diplomatic efforts appear stalled. Recent peace talks in Istanbul failed to produce any meaningful progress. Ukraine demanded a full ceasefire, while Moscow reportedly offered only limited local truces. In a lengthy call with Trump earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin allegedly promised a “strong” response to Ukraine’s attacks a threat seemingly realised in Friday’s strikes.
As the conflict intensifies, pressure mounts on international leaders to rein in the violence and push both sides toward a lasting resolution.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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