Russia carried out its biggest air strike on Ukraine overnight, firing more than 500 aerial weapons across multiple regions, according to Ukrainian officials. The attack, which injured at least six people, including a child, targeted residential buildings, industrial facilities, and key infrastructure.

Ukraine’s air force reported that 537 aerial weapons were launched, including 477 drones and decoy drones, and 60 missiles. Of these, 249 were shot down, and 226 were likely disrupted by electronic jamming. Air raid sirens rang through the night across much of the country.

President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a post on X, described the attack as an assault on everything that sustains life.

“Almost all night long, air raid alerts sounded across Ukraine – 477 drones were in our skies, most of them Russian-Iranian Shaheds, along with 60 missiles of various types. The Russians were targeting everything that sustains life. A residential building in Smila was also hit, and a child was injured. Emergency services are responding wherever they're needed,” Zelensky said.

Ukrainian F-16 pilot killed after shooting down 7 targets

Ukrainian fighter pilot Maksym Ustymenko died while defending against the attack. Zelensky confirmed the pilot had shot down seven enemy targets before his F-16 aircraft was hit.

“Tragically, while repelling the attack, our F-16 pilot, Maksym Ustymenko, died. Today, he destroyed 7 aerial targets. My condolences to his family and brothers-in-arms. I have instructed that all the circumstances of his death be investigated. Ukrainian aviation is heroically protecting our skies. I am grateful to everyone who is defending Ukraine,” Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian Air Force said the pilot moved the jet away from a populated area before crashing. He was unable to eject in time.

Attack affects multiple regions, causes fires, and power cuts

The scale of the assault was described by Ukraine’s air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat as the “most massive air strike” so far. The attack covered regions far from the frontline, including western Ukraine.

In the central Cherkasy region, six people were injured, according to regional governor Ihor Taburets. In Kherson, a drone strike killed one person.

The Lviv region in the west saw a drone hit an industrial site in Drohobych, sparking a large fire and causing power outages. Local authorities reported damage to three residential buildings and a college.

Officials in Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk also reported hits on industrial areas. Photos from the scene showed damaged apartment blocks with broken windows and charred walls, and emergency responders helping evacuate residents.

Zelensky called for urgent support from Western allies, particularly in strengthening Ukraine’s air defense systems.

“Putin long ago decided he would keep waging war, despite the world’s calls for peace. 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. These are American systems, which we are ready to buy. We count on leadership, political will, and the support of the United States, Europe, and all our partners. I thank everyone who is helping,” he said.

Over the past week, Russia has launched more than 1,270 drones, 114 missiles, and nearly 1,100 glide bombs, according to Zelensky.

Following the strike, Poland and other allied countries scrambled jets to monitor and protect their own airspace. While the missiles did not enter Polish territory, the air force said it took preventive action for safety.

Ukraine’s military said it used every available air defense system during the massive attack. In total, more than 500 different types of aerial weapons were deployed by Russia, including drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. Air strikes were recorded in six different regions.

Despite the scale of the attack, Ukrainian forces managed to intercept many threats and continue to work on strengthening their air defense.

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