Russia carries out what Ukraine calls “most massive aerial attack” of the war

Kyiv, Ukraine — Russia launched 122 missiles and 36 drones towards Ukrainian targets, officers mentioned Friday, killing at the very least 13 civilians in what an air pressure official mentioned was the largest aerial barrage of the 22-month war.

The Ukrainian air pressure intercepted 87 of the missiles and 27 of the Shahed-type drones in a single day, Ukraine’s navy chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi mentioned.

Air Power commander Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on his official Telegram channel that it was “essentially the most large aerial assault” since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

In response to the Ukrainian air pressure, the earlier largest assault was in November 2022 when Russia launched 96 missiles towards Ukraine. This yr, the largest was 81 missiles on March 9, air pressure data present.

Scores of individuals had been injured and an unknown quantity buried beneath rubble through the roughly 18-hour onslaught, Ukrainian officers mentioned. Among the many buildings reported to be broken throughout Ukraine had been a maternity hospital, condominium blocks and faculties.

The well being ministry within the metropolis of Dnipro mentioned the maternity hospital was “severely broken” however the workers and sufferers managed to shelter in time, AFP studies.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the Kremlin’s forces used all kinds of weapons, together with ballistic and cruise missiles.

“Immediately, Russia used almost each kind of weapon in its arsenal,” Zelenskyy mentioned on social media platform X, previously Twitter.

Ukrainian Air Power spokesman Yurii Ihnat mentioned Russia “apparently launched the whole lot they’ve,” apart from submarine-launched Kalibr missiles, within the assault.

The aerial assault that started Thursday and continued by way of the night time hit six cities, together with the capital, Kyiv, and different areas from east to west and north to south Ukraine, in keeping with authorities.

Combating alongside the entrance line is essentially slowed down by winter climate after Ukraine’s summer time counteroffensive failed to make a significant breakthrough alongside the roughly 620-mile line of contact.

Ukrainian officers have urged the nation’s Western allies to supply it with extra air defenses to guard it towards aerial assaults like Friday’s. Their appeals have come as indicators of warfare fatigue pressure efforts to maintain help in place.

International Minister Dmytro Kuleba was amongst Ukrainian officers calling on Kyiv’s allies to step up their help Friday. “Immediately, tens of millions of Ukrainians awoke to the loud sound of explosions. I want these sounds of explosions in Ukraine could possibly be heard all all over the world,” Reuters quotes him as saying.