RUSSIA LAUNCHES MASSIVE DRONE AND MISSILE BARRAGE ON UKRAINE, KILLING AT LEAST 18 CIVILIANS AND STRIKING KYIV AND MULTIPLE CITIES. (PHOTO).

 Russia launches massive drone and missile barrage on Ukraine, killing at least 18 civilians and striking Kyiv and multiple cities

 Russia carried out a large-scale overnight assault on Ukraine, launching hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles that killed at least 18 civilians and wounded more than 100 others across multiple cities, officials said Tuesday. The strikes hit Kyiv, Dnipro and other regions, with emergency crews working through destroyed residential buildings where some victims were trapped under rubble. In Dnipro, rescuers recovered the bodies of a 3-year-old child and a mother and her 8-year-old son, while officials reported 12 deaths in the city and six in Kyiv.

The bombardment stretched from night into daylight, with explosions reported across wide areas of the country. Kyiv residents had been on alert for days after warnings of a major aerial attack, including advisories for foreign diplomats to leave the capital. Despite those warnings, most remained in place as the strikes unfolded. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 73 missiles and 656 drones, with air defenses intercepting or suppressing a majority of the drones and 40 missiles, though many projectiles still reached targets in at least 38 locations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for increased U.S. and European assistance, warning that continued attacks would persist without stronger protection against ballistic missiles. Russian President Vladimir Putin has intensified aerial operations in recent months, including the use of hypersonic missile systems, while Ukraine faces shortages of key U.S.-made air defense interceptors. Officials say that vulnerability has left civilians increasingly exposed even as many drones are still being shot down.

In Kyiv alone, at least 64 people were injured, including children, and residential buildings across multiple districts were damaged. Survivors described hiding in bathrooms and corridors as blasts shook the city. One resident said debris shattered windows and damaged children’s rooms, but her family survived unharmed. Similar destruction was reported in Kharkiv, where at least 14 people were injured and several buildings collapsed or were heavily damaged, leaving some residents trapped.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the strikes targeted military-industrial facilities across several Ukrainian regions. Putin, meanwhile, indicated Russia would continue its campaign, framing recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian-held territory as an escalation in the conflict. Ukrainian officials said they also struck a Russian drone pilot training facility in response to ongoing attacks.

The latest wave of strikes underscores the continued intensity of the war, now in its fourth year, as diplomatic efforts to reach a settlement have stalled and fighting continues across multiple fronts.