By Gloria Nosa
Russia has carried out one of its most extensive drone assaults since the start of the war, launching nearly 1,000 unmanned aerial vehicles at targets across Ukraine within a 24-hour period, Ukrainian authorities have said.
Officials disclosed that more than 550 of the drones were deployed during daylight hours — an unusual move that expanded the scale and intensity of the attacks across multiple regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that at least 40 people were injured in the strikes, including five children, as emergency teams worked through damaged residential areas and public facilities.
In Ivano-Frankivsk, two people were reported killed — a member of the National Guard and his teenage daughter. According to local authorities, they were visiting a maternity ward where the soldier’s wife had just given birth when the attack occurred.
Elsewhere, additional casualties were recorded. In Vinnytsia, a 59-year-old man lost his life while at least 11 others sustained injuries. In Lviv, officials reported that at least 22 people were wounded as buildings and infrastructure were damaged.
Ukraine’s air force said at least 15 drones struck their targets directly, while 541 others were intercepted or neutralised by air defence systems.
Civilian infrastructure suffered heavy damage, including residential buildings and city centres. A maternity hospital in Ivano-Frankivsk was among the facilities affected by the bombardment.
In Lviv, parts of the historic Bernardine Monastery Complex — located within a UNESCO-listed heritage area — were also damaged. Authorities said fires broke out in nearby structures as emergency crews battled to contain the destruction.
Ukrainian officials described the wave of attacks as one of the most intense in recent weeks and warned that it signals a continued escalation in the conflict.
Meanwhile, authorities in Russia’s Kursk Region reported that a Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and injured 13 others, highlighting ongoing cross-border attacks by both sides.
The latest exchange underscores the persistent intensity of the war between Russia and Ukraine, with large-scale drone warfare continuing despite the absence of any clear path toward a ceasefire.
