Zelensky: Russia launched massive Ukraine strike
Shafaq News – Kyiv/Moscow
Russia launched one of its heaviest aerial assaults in months overnight, deploying more than 300 Iranian-made drones and 30 missiles across at least ten Ukrainian regions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on Saturday.
On X, Zelensky detailed extensive destruction, noting that Sumy in the northeast sustained major infrastructure damage and widespread blackouts, while Shostka faced what he described as “combined strikes” involving both drones and missiles.
The strikes also hit Donetsk, Kirovohrad, Dnipro, Kherson, Volyn, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Odesa, and Zhytomyr. Ukraine’s Air Force said drone interceptions were still underway in the morning as emergency crews responded across multiple sites.
In Odesa, drones set fire to a residential building, killing one person and injuring six, including a child. Mayor Hennady Trukhanov reported at least 20 drones struck the city, adding on Telegram that “emergency services are operating on high alert.”
Meanwhile, Russia claimed Ukrainian drones had breached its airspace. The Defense Ministry asserted it shot down 87 drones across several regions. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that 13 were intercepted near the capital.
The escalation came hours after the European Union approved its 18th sanctions package against Moscow—its toughest yet. Initially blocked by Slovakia, the measures passed following a compromise on energy policy and gas import cuts. Key provisions include slashing the G7-imposed price cap on Russian crude from $60 to $47.60 per barrel, aiming to choke off export revenue and squeeze Russia’s war economy.
The Kremlin denounced the sanctions in its first official reaction, calling them part of the EU’s “consistent anti-Russian line.”
