(Reuters) – Ukraine was struck by a series of mysterious attacks that shook the nation to its core. Reports from officials early on Sunday revealed that Russia had unleashed multiple waves of missile and drone assaults overnight, specifically targeting Kyiv and various other regions of Ukraine. The onslaught resulted in the tragic death of one civilian in Kryvyi Rih, with further reports of significant damage to buildings and vehicles in Kyiv and surrounding areas.
As the sun rose, the true extent of the devastation became apparent. Serhiy Lysak, the governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, disclosed on the Telegram messaging app that a man had succumbed to his injuries in a hospital following the missile strikes in Kryvyi Rih. Additionally, a 30-year-old woman was left in critical condition due to the attacks. Lysak also noted that a vital infrastructure facility had been harmed during the assaults, although precise details were not immediately available.
Meanwhile, in the Odesa region, Governor Oleh Kiper reported that three individuals sustained injuries when a drone strike sparked a fire in a private residence. In Zaporizhzhia, Governor Ivan Fedorov revealed that a 53-year-old woman had been wounded, and multiple homes had suffered damage from yet another attack in the southeastern region.
The capital city of Kyiv did not escape unscathed, as Mayor Vitali Klitschko shared on Telegram that multiple residential structures and vehicles had been impacted by the multi-wave drone bombings. Fortunately, no injuries were reported at the time.
Amid the chaos and destruction, both sides involved in the conflict vehemently denied any deliberate targeting of civilians. Yet, as the war entered its third year following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the toll on innocent lives continued to mount. Thousands of civilians, predominantly Ukrainian, had already lost their lives in the ongoing conflict.
Throughout the night, Ukraine’s air force remained on high alert, signaling imminent danger and the looming threat of further attacks. The people of Kyiv and regions across central and eastern Ukraine braced themselves for what could be another harrowing night of bombardment.
(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Tom Hogue)
