Russia launched a large-scale aerial assault on Ukraine early Saturday, killing at least 11 people and damaging critical infrastructure across multiple regions, according to Ukrainian officials. The attacks, which involved drones, missiles, and strategic bombers, struck key cities, including Poltava, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia, forcing widespread emergency responses.
Ukraine's Interior Ministry reported that a Russian missile hit a residential building in Poltava, killing seven people and injuring 14 others, including three children. In Kharkiv, one person was killed and four others were wounded in a drone attack, according to the city's mayor. Separately, three police officers were killed while patrolling a village in the Sumy region.
"Last night, Russia attacked our cities using various types of weapons: missiles, attack drones, and aerial bombs," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram. "Each such terrorist attack proves that we need more support in defending ourselves against Russian terror. Every air defense system, every anti-missile weapon, saves lives."
The strikes began before dawn, with air raid sirens sounding across Ukraine around 6:00 a.m. GMT. According to Ukrainian military monitoring, Russian forces deployed four Tu-95 bombers, three Tu-22M3 bombers, and MiG-31 fighter jets, launching waves of missiles into Ukrainian airspace.
As the missile strikes intensified, Ukrainian air defense units attempted to intercept the barrage. The Ukrainian air force reported that Russia launched 123 drones and more than 40 missiles, of which 56 drones were shot down and 61 redirected. The number of intercepted missiles was not immediately disclosed.
By 6:55 a.m. GMT, explosions were reported in Poltava, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Khmelnytskyi. Ukrainian energy operator Ukrenergo confirmed that emergency power outages were implemented across Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kirovohrad regions due to the attacks.
Beyond civilian casualties, Russia's missile strikes targeted key energy infrastructure, continuing its months-long campaign against Ukraine's power grid. Officials in Kharkiv said six missiles and 17 Shahed drones struck gas infrastructure and other critical facilities.
In Poltava, local authorities reported that 18 apartment buildings, a kindergarten, and energy infrastructure were damaged by the strikes. Ukraine's energy ministry has warned that repeated attacks on power plants and distribution networks have severely strained the country's electricity supply.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed responsibility for the strikes, stating that its forces had specifically targeted Ukraine's gas and energy infrastructure while also shooting down 108 Ukrainian drones over the past 24 hours, according to Russian news agencies.
In response to the attack, Poland heightened its military readiness, scrambling fighter jets and activating air defense systems.
"In accordance with applicable procedures, the Operational Commander of the Armed Forces activated all available forces and means at his disposal," the Polish Operational Command of the Armed Forces said in a statement. "Alert fighter pairs were scrambled, and ground-based air defense and radar recognition systems reached the highest state of readiness."