Heavy Overnight Attacks in Ukraine Leave 9 Dead and Dozens Injured in Zaporizhia, Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk

Nine people were killed and 26 others injured in overnight Russian attacks on Ukraine. Zaporizhia and Kyiv were struck by a new wave of missiles and drones.

The heaviest toll was recorded in the major city of Zaporizhia, where six people were killed and 19 others injured, according to Ivan Fedorov, head of the regional military administration.

Shortly after 07:00, Fedorov announced on Telegram that the death toll had risen from five to six.

He said Russian forces had launched a “massive” offensive using missiles and guided bombs dropped from military aircraft. The strikes damaged apartment buildings and warehouses, including facilities in the city center.

Before updating the casualty figures, Fedorov had shared a photograph of a vehicle engulfed in flames following the attack.

Strikes were also reported in the Dnipropetrovsk region, where the Russian military used artillery and unmanned aerial systems. According to Oleksandr Khanza, head of the regional military administration, three people were killed, including a 15-year-old, while five others were injured.

Further damage was also caused in the targeted areas, while Ukrainian authorities continue to assess the extent of the destruction.

Kyiv was also attacked overnight. Shortly after an alert was issued warning of a ballistic missile strike, a series of explosions was heard in the capital after midnight.

AFP journalists confirmed the explosions in Kyiv, while a fire broke out at a warehouse. One person has so far been reported injured.

Through the Max platform, the Russian Defense Ministry said the targets of the attacks in Kyiv and Zaporizhia were “military-industrial complex enterprises and transport and logistics hubs.”

On Russian territory, across the border, a Ukrainian drone attack killed a 49-year-old and injured two people in the Voronezh region.

Regional Governor Alexander Gusev said drone debris caused fires at warehouses. He said Russian air defenses intercepted and destroyed 15 Ukrainian drones over the city of Voronezh and five districts of the region.

“A downed drone caused fires at two warehouses belonging to a major company,” Gusev said, without identifying the company.

Earlier, Wildberries, one of Russia’s largest online retail platforms, had announced the urgent evacuation of employees from its facilities in the region due to security concerns.

The latest wave of Russian attacks follows statements by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Moscow is preparing to deploy thousands of North Korean troops to take part in the war.

Zelensky has also claimed that Russia has obtained new ballistic missiles from Pyongyang.

In recent weeks, Russian forces have intensified their use of ballistic missiles. These weapons can be intercepted only by a limited number of air defense systems possessed by Ukraine, particularly US-made Patriot systems.

However, Kyiv is facing a shortage of PAC-3 missiles for its Patriot systems. According to reports, the situation has worsened since the start of the US and Israeli war against Iran in late February.

At the same time, the Ukrainian military has stepped up strikes on Russian territory, mainly using drones to target cities and infrastructure far from the border.

The intensification of operations by both sides continues to cause casualties and damage as the war between Russia and Ukraine enters another phase of escalating aerial attacks.