Russia Escalates Ukraine War with Massive Drone and Missile Strikes

Russia launched a large wave of missiles and drones at Ukraine, hitting the capital Kyiv and other areas. This attack killed at least three people and wounded 40 others. Ukrainian officials said the overnight strikes targeted Kyiv and surrounding regions. They also hit ports and railways in the south. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that over 670 drones and 56 missiles were used. He said Russia has used more than 1,560 drones in total since the previous day.

Zelenskyy called for international support to protect Ukraine's skies. He stressed that partners should not stay silent. The mayor of Kyiv confirmed the casualties, including two children. Rescue teams are still searching for people trapped under rubble. Al Jazeera's reporter in Kyiv described it as one of Russia's largest attacks by drone numbers in a 36-hour period.

This major attack happened after a short, troubled ceasefire. The truce was brokered by the United States but was broken by both sides. It followed comments from Russian leader Vladimir Putin that the war might be ending. However, the Kremlin has dismissed this idea. It repeated its demand that Ukraine withdraw from the Donbas region before peace talks. Ukraine has rejected this demand, calling it a surrender.