Russia launched a rare daytime drone attack on Ukraine, injuring dozens

More than 550 drones were launched at Ukraine in the middle of the day, Ukraine's air force said, an abrupt change from Russia's usual tactic.

A rare Russian daytime drone attack on Ukraine killed three people, wounded several dozen and set a building in the historic center of the western city of Lviv aflame on Tuesday, officials said, following an overnight bombardment that killed five.

More than 550 drones were launched at Ukraine in the middle of the day, Ukraine’s air force said, an abrupt change from Russia’s usual tactic of launching similarly massive aerial attacks at night during its more than four-year-old war.

It followed an earlier attack overnight in which it fired hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles. Taken altogether, Russia had launched nearly 1,000 long-range drones at Ukraine since Monday evening, Kyiv said.

There was no immediate comment from Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking in his nightly video address, said the scale of the attacks showed that more pressure had to be exerted on Russia.

“The scale of this attack clearly shows that Russia has no real intention of ending this war. And considering that Russia is also helping the Iranian regime carry out strikes in the region, the conclusion is obvious,” he said.

“Without additional and strong pressure on Russia, without tangible losses for them there in Moscow, no desire will develop to move away from the war or return to peace.”

Video footage posted online showed a drone crashing into an old building next to a church in the historic center of Lviv, 60 km (37 miles) from the Polish border, and Warsaw said it scrambled fighter jets.