Arabic version: ضربات روسية على أوكرانيا تؤدي إلى سقوط ضحايا وأضرار
Russia has launched a large-scale wave of strikes against Ukraine, firing hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, resulting in the deaths of four people and injuring more than 50 others in Kyiv and its surrounding areas. Explosions were reported throughout the region overnight into Sunday, causing significant damage to residential buildings, schools, and other infrastructure.
According to BBC News, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the Oreshnik hypersonic missile was used in a strike on Bila Tserkva, a city within the Kyiv region. This escalation follows Russian President Vladimir Putin’s vow to retaliate after accusing Ukraine of a deadly attack on a student dormitory in the town of Starobilsk on Friday, which resulted in 18 fatalities.
The general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces acknowledged conducting an attack near Starobilsk, asserting that their target was an elite Russian military unit. Zelensky had previously warned of potential Russian aggression, citing intelligence reports indicating the possible use of the Oreshnik missile, known for its speed and difficulty to intercept.
From 18:00 local time on Saturday, Ukraine’s air force detected 90 missiles and 600 drones, with reports indicating that over 50 locations in Kyiv were targeted. The strikes led to casualties, including two deaths reported by Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko, who also noted that 30 people, including two children, were hospitalized. Emergency services were deployed to manage the aftermath of the strikes, which included fires and debris removal.
In addition to the casualties in Kyiv, two more individuals were killed in the broader Kyiv region, as described by regional head Mykola Kalashnyk, who labeled the attack as “deliberate terror against peaceful people.” Other regions, including Cherkasy, Kharkiv, Kropyvnytskyi, Odesa, Poltava, Sumy, and Zhytomyr, also experienced attacks, further escalating the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
