Russia Launches Deadliest Aerial Barrage Yet on Ukraine, Killing 12 and Wounding Dozens

Summary

• Russia launched its largest aerial attack on Ukraine since 2022, firing 69 missiles and 298 drones across more than 30 cities and towns on May 25, 2025.
• At least 12 people were killed, including three children in Zhytomyr, and dozens injured, with significant damage to residential areas and infrastructure.
• Ukrainian air defenses intercepted most of the weapons, but the scale of the attack overwhelmed systems in several regions.
• President Zelenskyy condemned the assault, criticized U.S. inaction, and called for stronger Western air defense support amid stalled peace talks and continued prisoner swaps.

Kyiv, Ukraine – Russia unleashed its most intense aerial assault since the start of the war in 2022, launching a massive barrage of missiles and drones that rained destruction across Ukraine on Saturday.

The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed that 367 aerial weapons were deployed, including 69 missiles and a staggering 298 drones, many of them Iranian-designed Shahed drones, in a coordinated overnight attack that struck more than 30 cities and towns nationwide.

The strikes, which coincided with Kyiv Day, a national holiday commemorating the capital’s founding, left at least 12 people dead and dozens more wounded. Among the dead were three children from the same family in the Zhytomyr region. In Kyiv alone, four people were killed and 16 others injured, as residential buildings and civilian infrastructure sustained heavy damage.

Though Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 47 missiles and 266 drones, the scale of the assault overwhelmed anti-air systems in several regions, contributing to widespread devastation. Cities impacted include Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, Chernihiv, Sumy, Odesa, Poltava, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, and Cherkasy.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the attack as a “barbaric act of terror” and accused the United States of emboldening Russia through continued inaction. “Each hesitation in delivering stronger air defense and sanctions gives Russia a signal to strike again,” Zelenskyy said in a statement, renewing calls for more Western military aid.

The deadly onslaught followed another major overnight strike the day before and came just after a weekend prisoner exchange between the warring nations, during which more than 600 detainees were swapped. Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed it had downed 110 Ukrainian drones overnight, underscoring the ongoing drone warfare on both sides.

Analysts say the timing of the attack, coming days after failed peace talks in Istanbul, points to Russia’s intent to escalate the conflict and apply military pressure amid a diplomatic stalemate.

The international community, including NATO and the UN, has reiterated calls for de-escalation, but Saturday’s assault signals Moscow’s continued defiance.

As Ukraine mourns the lives lost on a day meant for celebration, the nation braces for further aggression, calling once again for urgent global support to shield its skies and civilians.