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At least five people have been killed following a large-scale Russian missile and drone assault across Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed.
According to the Ukrainian leader, Russia fired over 50 missiles and around 500 attack drones, targeting multiple regions including Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa, and Kirovohrad.
In the western region of Lviv, which borders Poland, four people were killed and an industrial park caught fire, while another person was reported dead in Zaporizhzhia. About 10 others were injured, and tens of thousands — including more than 73,000 residents in Zaporizhzhia — were left without power.
Russia has intensified its strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as winter nears. Zelenskyy condemned the attacks, saying, “The Russians once again targeted our infrastructure — everything that sustains normal life for our people.”
He called for stronger and faster international defence support, emphasizing that enhanced air defence systems are crucial to stopping Russia’s “aerial terror.” Zelenskyy added, “A unilateral ceasefire in the skies is possible — one that could pave the way for real diplomacy. America and Europe must act to make Putin stop.
During the barrage, Poland scrambled fighter jets to protect its airspace. The Polish military stated on X that both national and allied aircraft were mobilized and air defence systems were placed on high alert.
Meanwhile, Lithuania’s main airport in Vilnius was temporarily shut down overnight after reports of up to 13 unidentified balloons heading toward the airport. The incident disrupted around 30 flights and affected nearly 6,000 passengers.
The event comes amid rising regional tensions, as several NATO countries remain on alert following previous Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace, which led to temporary airport closures in Denmark and Germany, adding to growing instability across European aviation.
