Russia Kills at Least 13 in Massive Missile and Drone Strikes Across Ukraine

The overnight blitz expanded Russia’s near-daily bombardment of Ukrainian cities, with President Volodymyr Zelensky stating that Moscow launched more than 70 missiles—many of them ballistic—and over 280 attack drones. While Ukraine’s air force intercepted 265 drones and 55 missiles, the strikes hit residential areas and infrastructure far from the eastern front lines.

Casualties in Radushne and the Dnipropetrovsk Region

The deadliest incident occurred in the settlement of Radushne, Dnipropetrovsk region, where a direct strike by a Russian Iskander-M missile destroyed a private home. Local authorities reported that six people were killed, including three children aged 6, 11, and 17.

“It was an ordinary home, blown (to) smithereens by a ballistic missile … “

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine

Two other children were rescued from the rubble of the Radushne home, though Oleksandr Hanzha, head of the regional military administration, noted that children were among the dead.

Ballistic Strikes on Kyiv and Lviv

In the capital, Russian forces used ballistic weapons to strike residential buildings, a market, and storage facilities. The National Police press service confirmed the death of a 31-year-old man and two others wounded. Mayor Vitali Klitschko warned residents to stay in shelters as fires broke out across several districts.

The western city of Lviv, located roughly 70 kilometers from the Polish border, was hit by a cruise missile attack. Maksym Kozytskyi, head of the Lviv regional military administration, reported that two high-rise residential buildings were struck. Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi stated that rescue operations continued for people trapped beneath a collapsed building on Paton Street.

NATO Airspace Violation and the Polish Response

The strikes triggered a security alert in Poland. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reported that a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile crossed into Poland, violating NATO airspace. Polish Armed Forces scrambled fighter jets in response.

Russian Missile and Drone Strikes Kill 13 Across Ukraine Including Two Children

Polish police in the Lublin region discovered a 10-meter-wide crater and debris from an unidentified object in a field near the village of Tarnawa-Kolonia. While the Polish operational command noted the object disappeared from radar, Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that all indications suggest it was a Russian Kh-101 ballistic missile, though he added that officials want to be 100% certain about the type and origin.

Patriot Licenses and Air Defense Shortages

The barrage highlighted a critical gap in Ukraine’s defenses.

Zelenskyy recently met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington to discuss the production of anti-ballistic Patriot interceptors. The Ukrainian president stated that Trump agreed to license Patriot missiles, which would allow Ukraine to build its own missiles. However, AP News noted that setting up such production could take a significant amount of time.

Ukrainian Retaliation Against Wildberries Logistics

Ukraine continued its campaign against Russian commercial infrastructure, specifically targeting warehouses owned by the online retailer Wildberries. Governor Oleg Melnichenko reported that a warehouse in the western city of Penza caught fire following a drone attack, leading to the evacuation of about 200 people.

Additional strikes were reported at facilities in Sarapul, Udmurtia region, and potentially in Perm. According to Arab News, these attacks have destroyed about 10 percent of storage capacity for the retailer.

The United Nations reported that the previous month was the deadliest for civilians in Ukraine since April 2022, as Moscow intensified long-range strikes on populated areas. The Russian Defense Ministry maintained that its targets were limited to airbases, arms factories, and military logistics facilities.