Russia launched overnight air and missile strikes on several parts of Ukraine, killing at least eight people and injuring more than 20 others, according to Ukrainian officials.
The attack came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia could launch a major assault and called on Ukraine’s allies to increase their support for the country’s air-defense capabilities.
Zelensky said Russia used more than 70 missiles and around 280 drones during the overnight attack.
In the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, a missile struck a residential building, killing six people, including four adults and two girls aged five and 12. Eight other people were injured in the attack, while local authorities warned that the death toll could rise.
In Ukraine’s eastern Poltava region, officials said one person was killed in a drone strike that hit a warehouse. In the western city of Lviv, at least 15 people were injured following attacks in the area.
In the capital, Kyiv, city authorities reported that one person was killed and two others injured. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Russia targeted the capital with heavy missile weapons.
Klitschko urged residents to remain in shelters and other protected areas. He added that fires broke out in several parts of the city as a result of the strikes.
President Zelensky said Russia had been preparing the attack for several days and urged residents across all regions of Ukraine to remain in safe places.
Russian attacks have continued to intensify as the war enters its fifth year.
The United Nations reported that June saw the highest number of civilian casualties in Ukraine since April 2022, largely due to Russian missile strikes on cities across the country.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has also stepped up retaliatory attacks against Russia in an effort to put pressure on Moscow to take part in negotiations aimed at ending the war.
