Ukraine has suffered its most extensive drone attack since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday, reporting that 267 attack drones were launched overnight.
The massive assault, which occurred just before the war’s third anniversary, struck multiple regions, causing casualties and widespread destruction.
In a statement posted on X, Zelenskyy described the attack as an “aerial terror” using Iranian-made drones. He claimed that within the last week, Russia had launched nearly 1,150 attack drones, over 1,400 guided aerial bombs, and 35 missiles at Ukraine.
While Ukrainian air defense forces managed to intercept and destroy 138 drones, others caused serious damage in at least five regions, including Dnipro. In Kyiv, multiple fires broke out due to drone impacts, while in Kherson, a residential building was hit, killing two people, including a mother of twins. Another person was killed in Kryvyi Rih, and three others were injured. In Zaporizhzhia, a 53-year-old woman was hospitalized following a drone strike.
Zelenskyy reiterated his call for stronger air defense support from Western allies, urging a united front against Russian aggression.
“Everyone capable of helping with air defense must work to enhance the protection of human life,” he said. “We must do everything possible to bring a lasting and just peace to Ukraine.”
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, echoed Zelenskyy’s appeal, calling on the international community to take tougher action against Russia.
He urged world leaders to focus on Moscow’s actions rather than its words, arguing that the drone assault was clear evidence of ongoing aggression.
The attack marks an escalation in hostilities, with both sides ramping up aerial assaults as the war nears its third year.