Russian strikes on Ukraine kill dozens and spark fresh international alarm

Overnight, Russia launched a major onslaught against Ukraine, firing hundreds of drones and missiles targeting the capital Kyiv and key cities like Odesa and Kharkiv. At least ten people were killed and dozens more injured — including children, pregnant women, and entire families — in what Ukrainian officials described as one of the most intense waves of attacks this year.

In Kyiv’s Shevchenkivskyi district, a residential building partially collapsed due to a direct hit, killing eight and injuring around thirty. A metro station entrance, commonly used as a bomb shelter, was also damaged. The destruction of civilian infrastructure has once again raised serious concerns among human rights organizations and international observers.

Ukraine’s air defense reported intercepting most of the 352 drones and 16 missiles fired, yet some managed to breach the shield, hitting homes, schools, and hospitals. In Odesa, a strike on a school killed two staff members, while several children and a pregnant woman were wounded in separate incidents.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, currently in the UK for diplomatic talks, condemned the attacks as “state terror.” He revealed that some of the weapons used were Iranian drones and North Korean missiles, calling the countries backing Russia a “coalition of murderers.”

France swiftly condemned the attacks and warned that further EU sanctions could follow. Meanwhile, the United States has yet to respond decisively under President Trump’s administration, which has recently shifted focus toward the Middle East. This silence is causing unease in Kyiv regarding the reliability of continued Western military support.