Ukraine said on Sunday that Russia unleashed “hundreds” of drones and missiles in overnight strikes that left at least 10 people wounded, while neighbouring Poland scrambled fighter jets to secure its airspace amid growing regional tensions.
Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga described the barrage as another “massive air attack on Ukrainian cities while people were sleeping,” accusing Moscow of deliberately targeting civilians. He posted footage showing flames tearing through a multi-storey apartment block.
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that six people were injured in the capital, five of whom were hospitalised, while officials in Zaporizhzhia reported four additional casualties from strikes in the southeastern region.
“This is a war against civilians,” said Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine’s presidential office.
“There will be a response to these actions. But the West’s economic blows against Russia must also be stronger.”
Poland’s armed forces said they scrambled jets and activated air defence systems in response to the Russian assault, stressing that the move was preventive and aimed at protecting its citizens, particularly in border areas.
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The strikes came just days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that Kyiv had received a US-made Patriot air defence system from Israel, marking a shift in Israel’s role in the conflict. Two additional systems are expected later this year.
Moscow, meanwhile, has denied responsibility for alleged airspace violations over NATO member states. Speaking at the United Nations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that any attempt to intercept objects within Russian airspace would bring consequences. “They will very much regret it,” he said.
The situation remains precarious around the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, which both Kyiv and Moscow said had been disconnected from the grid for four days, raising fresh fears of a nuclear incident.