Five Dead and Thousands Without Power After Massive Russian Missile and Drone Attacks on Ukraine
At least five people were killed and tens of thousands left without power across Ukraine after a wave of Russian missile and drone attacks overnight, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Saturday. The strikes, some of the most intense in months, targeted multiple regions across the country, including Lviv, Zaporizhzhia, and Odesa.
Family of Four Killed in Western Ukraine
Among the victims were four members of a single family, including a 15-year-old girl, who died when a missile struck their home in the village of Lapaivka near Lviv. Another relative and two neighbors were injured in the attack, according to local officials.
Lviv’s regional governor, Maksym Kozytskyi, described the onslaught as the largest assault on the region since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022. He said around 163 missiles and drones were detected in the area during the overnight bombardment.
Nationwide Attacks and Power Outages
In addition to Lviv, several other regions—including Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa, and Kirovohrad—were also targeted. One person was killed in Zaporizhzhia after missiles hit residential and infrastructure areas.
President Zelensky said Russia launched more than 50 missiles and around 500 attack drones, a number confirmed by Ukraine’s air force, which recorded a total of 549 aerial threats. Ukraine’s air defense forces reportedly shot down the majority of the incoming drones and missiles, but several still managed to strike key energy facilities.
Lviv endured hours of explosions overnight. Public transport was suspended, and much of the city was left without electricity. Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said parts of Lviv—just 70 kilometers (43 miles) from the Polish border—remained without power as air defense systems battled waves of drones and missiles.
Poland and NATO Respond to Airspace Threats
Ukraine’s neighbor, Poland, confirmed that it scrambled fighter jets to protect its airspace during the attacks. The Polish military said allied NATO aircraft were also deployed in response.
“Polish and allied aircraft are operating in our airspace, while ground-based air defense and radar systems are at the highest state of readiness,” Poland’s operational command announced on X (formerly Twitter).
At around 5:10 a.m. (02:10 GMT), air raid sirens sounded across all of Ukraine, warning of continuing missile and drone assaults from Russian forces.
Russia Claims ‘Massive’ Strike on Military Targets
Russia’s defense ministry said the overnight operation was a “massive strike” targeting Ukrainian military and infrastructure facilities. The Kremlin claimed its objectives were successfully achieved.
However, Ukraine said the attacks deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure, particularly energy plants, as Moscow continues to pressure Ukraine’s power grid ahead of the harsh winter months.
Kyiv’s energy ministry confirmed extensive damage to facilities in Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, and Sumy. In Zaporizhzhia alone, more than 73,000 residents lost electricity after a major power plant was hit, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said.
A woman was killed and several others were injured in the same region. Among the wounded was a 16-year-old girl, according to local officials. Photos shared online showed a destroyed apartment building and a burning vehicle following the strikes.
Emergency power cuts were also reported in Chernihiv and Sumy as crews worked to restore services.
Zelensky Calls for Stronger Air Defenses
President Zelensky condemned the latest attacks and urged Ukraine’s international partners to accelerate deliveries of air defense systems.
“We need more protection and faster implementation of all defense agreements, especially regarding air defense, to deprive this aerial terror of any meaning,” Zelensky said in a video address.
He added, “A unilateral ceasefire in the skies is possible—and that could open the way to real diplomacy.”
US Backs Deeper Ukrainian Strikes
The attacks come just days after a U.S. official said Washington would support Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russian territory, signaling a possible escalation in the conflict.
U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, told Fox News, “The answer is yes—use the ability to hit deep. There are no sanctuaries.”
This statement followed reports of Ukraine’s increased drone strikes on Russian oil refineries, which have caused fuel shortages in several regions of Russia.
Continued Fighting in Eastern Ukraine
Despite the renewed bombardments, front-line battles remain concentrated in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, where Russian forces occupy most of Luhansk and Donetsk.
Moscow currently controls roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory, including the Crimean Peninsula, which it illegally annexed in 2014. Ukraine continues to defend and reclaim areas along the eastern and southern fronts, but both sides have suffered heavy losses.
Civilians Caught in the Crossfire
For civilians, the situation remains dire. In Lviv, residents sheltered in basements for hours as air raid sirens blared through the night. In Zaporizhzhia, rescuers worked through the early morning to pull survivors from the rubble of damaged buildings.
Images released by Ukraine’s State Emergency Service showed flames engulfing cars and apartment blocks. “We heard the first explosion around midnight, and the sky lit up,” one resident told local media. “The power went out instantly. Everyone just ran for cover.”
Rising Global Tensions
The attacks have renewed fears of escalation spilling over into neighboring NATO countries. Poland, which has repeatedly faced Russian missile fragments landing on its territory, emphasized that it will take “all necessary measures” to defend its skies.
The U.S. and its allies have condemned Russia’s continued targeting of civilian areas, calling the strikes a violation of international law.
War Enters Another Harsh Winter
As Ukraine heads into another winter of war, energy shortages and infrastructure damage threaten millions of civilians. The government continues to prioritize repairs, but repeated Russian strikes on power plants and heating systems have made full recovery nearly impossible.
“Russia is trying to freeze Ukrainians into submission,” Zelensky said, vowing that his country would not give in. “Our resilience and our unity will prevail.”
Since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, over 67,000 Ukrainians have been killed, according to Ukrainian estimates, and millions displaced. With both sides showing no signs of backing down, the humanitarian and military toll continues to rise.