By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – Ukrainian authorities on Saturday said that the Russian forces launched 400 drones and 40 missiles on Ukraine overnight which killed 4 people and injured dozens.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that all 4 fatalities occurred in Kyiv, where 20 other people were injured.
The State Service for Emergencies confirmed that 3 of the victims were emergency service workers.
National Police reported that 40 people were injured nationwide, with most of them in Kyiv, the northwestern city of Lutsk and the western city of Ternopil.
According to the police, 38 facilities were damaged in the attacks, including five apartment buildings and five private houses, media reported.
The high pitched buzz of drones, the wail of air raid sirens and thunderous explosions overhead whether from successful air defence interceptions or incoming missiles hitting their targets, media reported.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia had launched over 400 drones and 40 missiles in the massive overnight assault, called it one of the largest since the war began.
He said the strikes killed many people, injured 49 others, and targeted “almost all” of Ukraine, naming nine regions ranging from Lviv in the west to Sumy in the northeast.
Ukrainians had been expecting a major reprisal since Sunday, when Kyiv carried out a bold strike that damaged more than a third of Russia’s strategic cruise missile bombers.
US President Donald Trump spoke with the Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would have to respond to the Ukrainian assault.
Ukraine’s General Staff reported that its forces had struck two Russian airfields overnight.
These sites were believed to be housing many aircraft that had escaped damage in Kyiv’s “Spiderweb” operation last weekend.
According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia’s assault included 407 drones, six ballistic missiles, over 38 cruise missiles, and one anti-radar missile totaled 452 projectiles.
Of those, 406 were intercepted, including 32 cruise missiles and four ballistic missiles.
The remaining two ballistic missiles reportedly missed their targets.
Ukrainians had been bracing all week for a major retaliation following the weekend drone strike, which hit 34 per cent of Russia’s nuclear-capable bombers at airbases as far as Siberia.
Ukrainian forces hit a Russian missile unit in Bryansk region, Iskander launchers, according to a statement from Ukraine’s General Staff.
The strike occurred as Russia’s 26th missile brigade prepared to launch an attack, targeted Kyiv from the city of Klintsy.
Kremlin confirmed an attempted Ukrainian strike on the Crimean Bridge but claimed it caused no damage.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “There was indeed an explosion, but nothing was harmed, and the bridge remains operational.”
Ukraine attacked the Kerch Bridge the key link between Russia and the annexed Crimean Peninsula caused 1,100 kilograms of underwater explosives.
