Russia unleashed a large-scale overnight assault on Ukraine on Sunday, killing at least five people and damaging energy and civilian infrastructure across multiple regions, Ukrainian officials said.
The strikes involving more than 50 missiles and nearly 500 drones marked one of Moscow’s heaviest coordinated attacks in recent months, targeting Ukraine’s energy grid and gas facilities as the country braces for its fourth winter of war.
According to prosecutors, four members of one family were killed when their residential building was destroyed in the western Lviv region bordering Poland. An industrial park in Lviv’s capital city was also set ablaze, with parts of the city left without power.
Lviv’s governor, Maksym Kozytskyi, described the bombardment as “the largest of the war on the Lviv region,” saying it involved 140 drones and 23 missiles. Mayor Andriy Sadovyi urged residents to remain indoors as emergency services battled multiple fires through the night.
In Zaporizhzhia, southeastern Ukraine, one person was killed and ten others injured in a combined strike that cut power to more than 73,000 people, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov. He said service had been restored to over 20,000 customers by early afternoon.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said civilian infrastructure was also hit in Ivano-Frankivsk, Vinnytsia, Chernihiv, Kherson, Kharkiv, and Odesa. The energy ministry confirmed that power facilities in Zaporizhzhia and Chernihiv were damaged, while state oil and gas firm Naftogaz reported strikes on gas infrastructure.
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Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces had targeted Ukrainian military-industrial facilities and energy installations overnight. Ukrainian officials dismissed the claim, accusing Moscow of continuing to attack civilian areas.
“Another deliberate act of terror against civilians,” Prime Minister Svyrydenko wrote on X. “Moscow continues to strike homes, schools, and energy facilities proving that destruction remains its only strategy.”
Poland Scrambles Jets Amid Cross-Border Concerns
As missiles and drones crossed Ukraine’s western borders, Poland, a NATO member, scrambled aircraft to ensure air safety.
“Polish and allied aircraft are operating in our airspace, while ground-based air defence and radar systems have been brought to the highest state of readiness,” Poland’s operational command said on X.
Eastern-flank NATO members have been on heightened alert following previous drone incursions into their airspace. In September, Poland shot down suspected Russian drones, while recent sightings over Copenhagen and Munich caused temporary disruptions to European aviation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strikes, saying they demonstrated Russia’s intent to sustain pressure on civilian populations as winter approaches and diplomatic efforts to end the war remain stalled.
