Russia’s Deadliest Aerial Assault Kills 16 in Ukraine, Officials Say

Kyiv, Ukraine – Russia carried out its deadliest aerial assault this year on Ukraine, resulting in the deaths of 16 people, including a 12-year-old child, according to Ukrainian officials. The Defense Ministry reported that Thursday’s attack involved nearly 700 drones and 19 ballistic missiles targeting cities nationwide.

Ukraine’s capital sustained significant damage; Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated that four individuals were killed, including the 12-year-old, with a drone crashing into an 18-story building. Nine people died in Odesa, two in Dnipro, where drones also hit residential areas. Mykolaiv and Kherson, Ukraine’s southeastern cities, lost power as Russian attacks targeted energy infrastructure.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged allies to impose more pressure on Moscow, stating that Russia should not receive sanctions relief following the attack. He emphasized the need for full force in applying pressure for peace alongside defending lives.

The U.S. Treasury Department’s waiver on certain Russian oil sales expired, preventing the administration from renewing it. This move comes as Ukraine intensifies its long-range attacks on Russia’s oil and gas infrastructure to counteract increased profits from higher Brent crude prices and sanctions relief during the Iran war.