Russia unleashes what may be one of the biggest aerial barrages against Ukraine, Zelenskyy says

By ILLIA NOVIKOV and HANNA ARHIROVA
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched about 110 missiles as well as drones against Ukrainian targets during the night Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday, killing at least seven civilians in what appeared to be one of the biggest aerial barrages of the 22-month war.

Most of the incoming missiles and drones were shot down during the roughly 18-hour onslaught, according to Zelenskyy. However, scores of people were injured and an unknown number of people were buried under rubble, Ukrainian officials said. Among the buildings damaged across Ukraine were a maternity hospital, apartment blocks and schools.

Zelenskyy said the Kremlin’s forces used a wide variety of weapons, including ballistic and cruise missiles.

“Today, Russia used nearly every type of weapon in its arsenal,” Zelenskyy said on sopcial media platform X, formerly Twitter.

Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said Russia “apparently launched everything they have” in the attack.

If Zelenskyy’s count is confirmed, it would be the largest aerial attack by the Kremlin’s forces since their full-scale invasion in February 2022. According to the Ukrainian air force, the previous biggest assault was in November 2022 when Russia launched 96 missiles against Ukraine.

The bombardment came as fighting along the front line is largely bogged down by winter weather and after Ukraine’s summer counteroffensive failed to make a significant breakthrough along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) line of contact.

The roughly 18-hour onslaught that began Thursday and continued through the night hit six cities, including the capital Kyiv, and other areas from east to west Ukraine, according to authorities.

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