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Russia launched 477 drones and 60 missiles in a massive overnight assault on Ukraine, Ukrainian military officials said on Sunday, describing it as one of the largest and most intense air raids in recent weeks.
The barrage killed a Ukrainian F-16 fighter pilot who was defending against the attack, and left a trail of destruction across several regions.
Ukrainian forces said they downed 211 drones and 38 missiles during the assault. “To repel the massive attack, all available means of the defence forces that can operate on enemy air assets were deployed,” the military said.
The airstrikes, recorded in at least six regions, damaged homes, infrastructure and industrial sites. Explosions were reported in Lviv, Poltava, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, and Ivano-Frankivsk. In Cherkasy, six people, including a child, were injured after strikes damaged multi-storey buildings and a college, said governor Ihor Taburets.
One woman was injured in Ivano-Frankivsk, while industrial facilities were struck in Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk.
Photos released by local authorities showed scorched buildings with shattered windows and emergency crews evacuating residents.
Ukraine confirmed that it lost its third F-16 jet during this operation. The Ukrainian Air Force said the fallen pilot “used all of his onboard weapons and shot down seven air targets.”
“While shooting down the last one, his aircraft was damaged and began to lose altitude. The pilot did everything he could to steer the jet away from a settlement but did not have time to eject,” the Air Force added.
Zelensky calls for greater Western support for air defences
President Volodymyr Zelensky called for greater Western support to bolster Ukraine’s air defences following the assault, which comes as the war enters its fourth year.
“This war must be brought to an end – pressure on the aggressor is needed, and so is protection. Protection from ballistic and other missiles, from drones, and from terror. Ukraine needs to strengthen its air defence – the thing that best protects lives,” Zelensky said in a post on X.
He added, “Just this week alone, there have been more than 114 missiles, over 1,270 drones, and nearly 1,100 glide bombs.”
The military estimated that 225 drones used in the assault were likely lost through electronic warfare or were decoys without warheads.
Zelensky reiterated Ukraine’s urgent appeal for modern defence systems, urging the United States and its allies to act with “leadership” and “political will.” At a recent meeting in The Hague, he called on former U.S. President Donald Trump to support the sale of more Patriot missile batteries.
Ukrainian officials have not revealed how many F-16s are currently in operation, but the jets are increasingly seen as a central part of Ukraine’s air defence strategy.
Meanwhile, officials in Lviv said critical infrastructure was hit in the western region, though further details on the damage were not provided.
With Reuters inputs
