Russia’s deadly overnight barrage of missiles and drones hits over half of Ukraine, say officials

Russia launches deadly missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, causing casualties, blackouts, and damage to critical infrastructure.

Russia battered much of Ukraine on Monday (August 26, 2024), firing scores of missiles and drones that killed four people, injured more than a dozen and damaged energy facilities in attacks that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as “vile.”

The barrage of over 100 missiles and a similar number of drones began around midnight and continued through daybreak in what appeared to be Russia's biggest onslaught in weeks.

Ukraine's air force said swarms of Russian drones fired at eastern, northern, southern, and central regions were followed by volleys of cruise and ballistic missiles.

“Like most previous Russian strikes, this one was just as vile, targeting critical civilian infrastructure," Zelenskyy said, adding that most of the country was targeted — from the Kharkiv region and Kyiv to Odesa and the west.

Explosions were heard in the capital of Kyiv. Power and water supplies in the city were disrupted by the attack, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Russia fired drones, cruise missiles and hypersonic ballistic Kinzhal missiles at 15 Ukrainian regions — more than half the country.

“The energy infrastructure has once again become the target of Russian terrorists," Shmyhal said, adding that the state-owned power grid operator, Ukrenergo, has been forced to implement emergency power cuts to stabilize the system.