Russian strikes kill 15 in Ukraine, hit residential areas

Russian strikes kill 15 in Ukraine, hit residential areas

KYIV: Russia launched a major wave of missile and drone attacks across Ukraine on Wednesday, killing at least 15 people and damaging residential buildings, industrial sites and critical infrastructure, Ukrainian officials said.

One of the deadliest strikes hit the northern city of Pryluky, where a Russian missile struck a five-storey apartment building. Regional Governor Vyacheslav Chaus said at least nine people were killed in the attack, including three children.

The missile strike caused several sections of the residential building to collapse, trapping residents beneath the rubble. Emergency crews rushed to the scene and began a search and rescue operation as dozens of rescuers worked through the debris.

Video footage from the scene showed rescue workers using ladders to reach the upper floors of the damaged building and search for survivors. Authorities said around 40 people suffered injuries in the attack, raising concerns that the casualty toll could increase as rescue teams continue their operations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said six more people were killed in overnight attacks targeting Kyiv, Oleksandria and Kremenchuk. He described the assault as one of the most severe strikes in recent weeks and said Russia had launched around 70 missiles, including a significant number of ballistic missiles.

Zelenskiy said Ukraine’s energy infrastructure was among the key targets of the attack. He accused Russia of seeking to inflict heavy damage and send a message through the scale of the assault.

The Russian Defence Ministry, meanwhile, said its forces had carried out a “massive strike” against military-industrial facilities in Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions. It said the operation involved high-precision weapons launched from land, sea and air, along with drones.

Ukraine’s air force reported that its air defences intercepted more than 80% of the 46 jet-powered drones launched during the attack. The reported interception rate marked a significant increase compared with recent weeks, when Ukrainian forces had generally intercepted around 50% to 60% of the drones used in Russian attacks.

Russia has increasingly relied on high-speed drones in attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities since the summer. The new weapons have added pressure on Ukraine’s air-defence systems because their higher speed makes them more difficult to detect and intercept.

The Ukrainian air force did not immediately explain the sharp increase in the reported interception rate and did not respond immediately to requests for further clarification.

The latest strikes came amid Russia’s continued campaign against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, with residential areas and critical facilities repeatedly coming under attack. Rescue teams remained engaged at several locations as authorities assessed the full extent of the damage and searched for additional casualties.