Russia Unleashes Brutal Air Raid, Kills 2, Injures 13 in Ukraine

Russia Unleashes Brutal Air Raid, Kills 2, Injures 13 in Ukraine

Russia rained down terror on Ukraine again, striking cities with drones and missiles in one of its most brutal air assaults yet. The attack killed two people and injured at least thirteen others, leaving homes in flames and families shaken.

President Volodymyr Zelensky described the overnight bombardment as one of the largest air strikes so far in the ongoing war. He said Russia launched 315 drones and seven missiles that hit not only the capital, Kyiv, but other parts of the country as well.

“Russian missile and Shahed strikes drown out the efforts of the United States and others around the world to force Russia into peace,” Zelensky posted on X.

In the southern city of Odesa, the air strikes left behind broken lives and burning buildings. A maternity hospital and nearby apartments were damaged badly. According to the regional prosecutor’s office, two people died and nine others suffered injuries.

Photos showed rescuers carrying the lifeless body of a resident from the wreckage. Firefighters battled flames as they tried to save what was left. Ash covered the streets. Cars were destroyed. Families looked on in silence, frozen by fear and grief.

In Kyiv, four more people were injured when falling debris set parts of the city on fire. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the skies above the capital buzzed for hours with the sound of drones. Explosions shook windows and lit up the night sky as air defense systems tried to shoot the drones down.

Plumes of black smoke could be seen rising from several neighborhoods. At least four districts caught fire after debris from intercepted drones landed on rooftops. Flames spread quickly, burning homes and warehouses.

While sirens wailed, thousands rushed underground. Subways turned into shelters. Mothers held crying babies. Seniors sat on cold concrete steps, hoping the danger would pass.

Nina Nosivets, a 32-year-old mother, held her 8-month-old son, Levko, as they huddled together underground.

“I just try not to think about all this, silently curled up like a mouse, wait until it all passes, the attacks. Distract the child somehow because it’s probably the hardest thing for him to bear,” she said.

Just a few stations away, 37-year-old Krystyna Semak ran into the metro at 2 a.m., carrying only her rug. “The explosions were terrifying,” she said.

Outside, chaos ruled the streets. In one home, 25-year-old Vasyl Pesenko was lying in bed when a drone struck nearby.

“I was lying in bed, as always hoping that these Shaheds (drones) would fly past me, and I heard that Shahed (that hit the house),” he recalled. “I thought that it would fly away, but it flew closer and closer and everything blew away.”

Military analysts say the massive drone attack was likely a response to Ukraine’s June 1 drone strike on distant Russian air bases. Experts had warned that Russia would retaliate—and they were right.

According to Western officials, the attack involved nearly 500 drones over just one night. It was the highest drone count used in a single assault since the war began more than three years ago.

Ukraine’s air defense teams worked nonstop through the night. But even the strongest systems could not stop every drone or missile. While many were intercepted, enough broke through to cause death, destruction, and fear.

The timing made it worse. The strike came just hours after officials discussed recent peace talks. So far, the only result from those talks has been a limited prisoner swap. The broader hope for a ceasefire remains far out of reach.

In homes and shelters across Ukraine, people are trying to carry on. But the trauma runs deep. Each night brings new fears. Every loud sound makes hearts race. Parents hold their children tighter, praying they’ll see another sunrise.

For now, the fires are out. The smoke has cleared. But the wounds left by Russia’s deadly airstrike will take far longer to heal.