Russian Missile and Drone Barrage Kills at Least 20 Across Ukraine

Russia hit Ukraine overnight with waves of missiles and drones, leaving at least 20 people dead, children among them. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called it one of the most vile attacks yet, noting it fell on Vladimir Putin’s birthday. He said about 70 missiles were fired, many of them ballistic. Industrial sites and energy facilities were damaged, and five regions began partial emergency power cuts.

Pryluky Apartment Block Destroyed

The worst toll came in Pryluky, in the Chernihiv region, where a missile flattened much of a five-storey residential building. At least 14 people died, including four children, and around 50 were wounded, seven of them children. Six more deaths were reported in Kyiv, Oleksandria and Kremenchuk. Many Kyiv residents spent the night in deep metro stations.

Ukraine Air Defence, Patriot Shortage and Drone Interceptions

Ukraine’s air force said it shot down just over 80% of 46 jet-powered drones, up from the usual 50% to 60%, though it gave no reason. Zelenskiy said ballistic missiles remain the main problem, since only Patriot systems can stop them, and global supplies are stretched by the Iran war and the Ukraine conflict. Ukraine also received a new €1.2 billion EU tranche for defence.