Russian airstrikes in Ukraine: at least 21 dead in Kiev, Dnipro, and Kharkiv; Zelensky requests Patriot missiles from the US.

The toll is worsening from the massive Russian attack launched overnight against Ukraine, with missiles and drones hitting several areas of the country, from the capital Kiev to Dnipro, Kharkiv, and other strategic regions. According to Ukrainian media, at least 21 people have died, with over 100 injured, while rescuers continue to excavate the rubble of damaged and destroyed buildings. Local authorities report fires, collapses, damaged homes, and power outages in some areas of the capital.

Dnipro among the most affected cities

In Dnipro, central Ukraine, the death toll has risen to at least 12 after the bodies of two women and an 8-year-old boy were recovered from the rubble. The city was hit hard, particularly in a residential area where a multi-story building was partially destroyed. According to local authorities cited by Ukrainian media, 37 more people were injured, while search and rescue operations continue amid fears that more people may still be missing under the rubble.

Kiev reports casualties, injuries and serious damage

Kiev was also among the main targets of the Russian attack. In the Ukrainian capital, the death toll rose to six, with at least 65 injured. City authorities reported damage in several neighborhoods, including residential buildings, commercial facilities, and civilian infrastructure. In some areas, falling debris caused fires and damaged multi-story buildings, while residents rushed to shelters during the wave of explosions.

Collapses and fires in the capital's neighborhoods

The situation is particularly serious in the Podilskyi district, where authorities reported the partial collapse of a nine-story residential building following a missile strike. Damage was also reported in the Solomianskyi, Obolonskyi, Darnytskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, and Holosiivskyi neighborhoods, with fires, destroyed cars, broken windows, and damaged structures. In some cases, according to initial Ukrainian reports, the strikes struck areas already affected by previous explosions, complicating the work of rescuers.

Kharkiv hit by drones and missiles

The attack also reached Kharkiv, in the east of the country, where the city was reportedly hit by 15 attack drones and two missiles. Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported at least ten injuries, including an 11-year-old girl, and damage to residential buildings, vehicles, and administrative facilities. The Kharkiv region, already exposed to Russian military pressure due to its position on the northeastern border, remains one of the most vulnerable areas on the frontline.

Mandatory evacuation for over 7.000 civilians

Ukrainian authorities have ordered the evacuation of over 7.000 civilians from several cities in the Kharkiv region, bordering Russia. The decision was prompted by the worsening security situation and systematic attacks on the area. Regional governor Oleg Synegubov explained on Telegram that the mandatory evacuation zone was expanded precisely in light of fears of a possible Russian advance and the increasing intensity of bombing.

Zelensky: "656 drones and 73 missiles launched"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced the scale of the attack, stating that Russia launched 656 attack drones and 73 missiles of various types, including ballistic, cruise, and anti-ship missiles, against Ukraine overnight. According to Kiev, it was a large-scale combined attack conducted by air, sea, and land. The Ukrainian Air Force claimed to have downed or intercepted 642 targets out of a total of 729 launched.

Patriot's request to the United States

Zelensky reiterated his appeal to Western partners, emphasizing the need to strengthen Ukraine's air defense. The president called US assistance in supplying missiles for Patriot systems, considered essential to countering Russian ballistic attacks, "absolutely necessary." "If Ukraine is not protected from ballistic and other missile attacks, these attacks will continue," the Ukrainian leader wrote, also calling on Europe to develop its own anti-missile defenses.

Moscow claims attack on military targets

Russia confirmed it carried out a "massive attack" overnight, but maintained that it only struck military targets and facilities related to the Ukrainian defense industry. The Russian Defense Ministry, quoted by Tass, said drones and air-, land-, and sea-launched missiles, including hypersonic missiles, were used. According to Moscow, the targets were located in the regions of Kiev, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Khmelnytsky, and Sumy, as well as fuel depots, transport infrastructure, and military airfields.

Kiev reports damage to civilian areas

The Ukrainian version, however, highlights widespread damage to residential buildings, urban neighborhoods, and civilian infrastructure. Local authorities reported buildings hit, fires, partial collapses, and injuries among the population, including children. In Kiev and Dnipro, in particular, rescuers worked for hours trying to extract people from the rubble and secure the areas damaged by the nighttime raids.

Ukrainian attacks also on Russian soil

That same night, Moscow reported a Ukrainian attack with 148 drones on Russian territory, claiming that all the unmanned aircraft were downed. One civilian died in the Russian region of Kursk following a drone strike, according to local governor Alexander Khinshtein. In southern Russia, a fire also broke out at a refinery in the Krasnodar region after an attack attributed to Ukrainian drones.

An escalation that increases fears on the front

The new Russian attack comes at a time of heightened tension, following warnings from Ukrainian authorities of a possible large-scale offensive by Moscow. The combination of ballistic missiles, attack drones, and strikes on multiple cities confirms the intensity of Russian military pressure, while the evacuation order in the Kharkiv region signals growing concern for the safety of civilians in areas near the border.

A war increasingly marked by air defense

The massive overnight bombardment once again highlights the central role of anti-aircraft defense in the conflict. Kiev claims to have intercepted most of the drones and missiles launched, but the number of casualties and the extent of the damage demonstrate how vulnerable Ukrainian territory remains to combined attacks. For Zelensky, the ability to protect cities from ballistic missiles is now a crucial condition not only for saving civilian lives, but also for determining the course of the war.