Six-Hour siege on Kyiv: Russia’s biggest drone swarm targets Ukraine
In one of the largest overnight attacks in recent months, Russia launched hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles against Ukraine, triggering air raid alerts across nearly the entire country. Explosions and destruction were reported from Kharkiv and Kyiv to the southern Odesa region, with civilian infrastructure heavily damaged and multiple casualties confirmed.
Waves of Drones Hit Major Cities
According to Oleg Synehubov, head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, numerous enemy drones struck the city and its outskirts in the early hours of Monday. "Powerful explosions were heard in several districts," he reported, noting that damage assessments and casualty figures were still being verified.
Further south, in Odesa and Khmelnytskyi regions, Russian drones destroyed residential homes and ignited fires. Ukraine’s State Emergency Service confirmed that in Odesa, a 100-square-meter house was completely destroyed, sparking a blaze that firefighters quickly extinguished.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, Russian strikes hit areas near the cities of Nikopol and Marhanets. Local authorities reported that several apartment buildings and private vehicles were destroyed.
Kyiv Endures Six-Hour Air Raid
Kyiv was under air alert for approximately six hours as missile defense systems were activated in response to the barrage. No fatalities were reported in the capital, but officials remain on high alert.
In the Zaporizhzhia region, Russian shelling injured a 60-year-old woman and a 52-year-old man. Ivan Fedorov, head of the local military administration, stated that an enemy strike demolished a house in the village of Yurkivka and caused damage to surrounding homes and vehicles.
Poland Places Air Defenses on High Alert
In response to the escalating Russian assault, Poland has kept its air defense systems on high alert for the second consecutive night. "It was another very busy night for Poland’s air defense," the Polish Armed Forces wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
While Monday’s strikes have so far not resulted in confirmed fatalities, Sunday night’s attacks were far deadlier. In the Sumy region village of Kindrativka, a 48-year-old man was killed. Across 13 Ukrainian regions, Russian forces launched a coordinated attack involving dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles and approximately 300 drones. That assault left 13 people dead and at least 60 injured, with significant damage to industrial infrastructure.
Russia’s Strategy: Saturate and Terrorize
The scale and coordination of the recent attacks suggest a deliberate Russian strategy to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses and terrorize civilian populations. With increasing pressure on Ukraine’s power grid, housing, and logistics infrastructure, the Kremlin appears intent on eroding both military capabilities and public morale.
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly called on Western allies to bolster air defense systems and replenish interceptor missile stocks as the frequency and intensity of Russian aerial assaults grow.
As of Monday morning, emergency services and repair crews are working across multiple regions to restore basic services and assess the full extent of the damage caused by the latest wave of attacks.
