Russia launched large-scale drone and missile strikes on Ukraine’s capital and different elements of the nation early on Friday, officers stated.
A minimum of three individuals had been killed and 49 injured within the strikes, based on Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The aerial raids focused Kyiv, in addition to town of Lutsk and the Ternopil area within the north-west of the nation.
Russia’s defence ministry stated the strikes had been in response to “terrorist acts by the Kyiv regime”, including that it had focused army websites.
The ministry stated its armed forces “in a single day launched an enormous strike with high-precision long-range air, sea and ground-based weapons, in addition to assault drones”.
The assault got here after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned US President Donald Trump he would reply to Ukraine’s latest strikes on Russian airbases.
In a post on X on Friday, Zelensky stated that “now could be precisely the second when America, Europe, and everybody all over the world can cease this conflict collectively by pressuring Russia”.
He made a thinly veiled reference to Trump’s obvious unwillingness to place strain on Russia.
“If somebody will not be making use of strain and is giving the conflict extra time to take lives – that’s complicity and accountability,” Zelensky wrote. “We should act decisively.”
Zelensky stated that “as of now”, three deaths had been confirmed within the strikes – all workers of Ukraine’s state emergency companies.
He stated the assault used greater than 400 drones and greater than 40 missiles, and the variety of individuals injured “might improve”.
In an earlier assertion, Kyiv’s Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated 4 individuals had been killed within the nation’s capital.
Air raid alerts had been in place in Kyiv, the place a residential constructing was hit, and town’s prepare system was disrupted after shelling broken metro tracks.
Tens of 1000’s of civilians within the capital spent a stressed few hours in underground shelters.
From the centre of town, extended bursts of machine gun hearth might be heard as air defences on the outskirts tried to carry down scores of drones geared toward Kyiv.
Every now and then, the distinctive buzz of drones overhead may be heard.
Vibrant flashes of sunshine, generally mirrored on close by buildings, could be adopted, 5 or ten seconds later, by thunderous explosions.
Gleb Garanich by way of ReutersAuthorities say the assaults included 38 cruise missiles, which is the sort Ukraine focused in Sunday’s so-called “Spider’s Web” operation, suggesting this assault might be a message from the Kremlin.
The cities of Kharkiv, Sumy and Luhansk had been additionally beneath air raid alerts.
Elsewhere, Ternopil’s army chief Vyacheslav Negoda stated Friday’s strike was the “most huge air assault on our area thus far”.
Mayor of Ternopil, Igor Polishchuk, stated 5 individuals had been wounded within the assault and there was harm to properties, colleges and a authorities facility.
In Lutsk, 5 individuals had been injured in an assault utilizing 15 drones and 6 missiles, based on mayor Ihor Polishchuk.
In the meantime, the Russian defence ministry stated its air defences shot down 174 Ukrainian drones in a single day in elements of Russia and occupied Crimea.
The ministry stated Neptune anti-ship cruise missiles had been additionally intercepted over the Black Sea.
Russia’s newest assault on Ukraine comes days after Kyiv launched its greatest long-range drone strike on not less than 40 Russian warplanes at 4 army bases.
Zelensky stated 117 drones had been used within the Spider’s Net operation by the SBU safety service, placing “34% of [Russia’s] strategic cruise missile carriers”.
Earlier this month, direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine passed off in Istanbul, however ended with out a main breakthrough.
Ukrainian negotiators stated Russia rejected an “unconditional ceasefire” – a key demand of Kyiv and its Western allies together with the US.
The Russian group stated they’d proposed a two-or three-day truce “in sure areas” of the huge entrance line, however gave no additional particulars.
Trump stated Putin vowed to “very strongly” reply to Ukraine’s latest assault on Russian airbases, throughout a cellphone name that lasted greater than an hour on Wednesday.
Moscow had beforehand stated that army choices had been “on the desk” for its response to Ukraine’s assault.
Final week, Trump appeared to set a two-week deadline for Putin, threatening to alter how the US is responding to Russia if he believed Putin was nonetheless “tapping” him alongside on peace efforts in Ukraine.
