Russia Launches Prolonged Aerial Assault on Ukraine, Leaving Death and Destruction in its Wake

Sat Oct 11 2025 03:42:39 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a harrowing 12-hour onslaught, Russia's aerial strikes on Ukraine have resulted in at least four fatalities and dozens of injuries, prompting President Zelensky's condemnation and a vow for retaliation.

A relentless Russian aerial bombardment lasting over 12 hours has devastated several regions of Ukraine, particularly Kyiv, leading to multiple casualties. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attacks as 'vile' and reaffirmed Ukraine's intention to retaliate. Emergency services reported significant damage to civilian infrastructure, with around 100 sites affected. Amid rising tensions, there are calls for stronger international responses as the ongoing conflict exacerbates threats of further aggression.

A Russian aerial bombardment that lasted more than 12 hours has killed at least four people and injured at least 70 others in Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the deaths all occurred in the capital, Kyiv, where many of the projectiles were aimed, and the victims included a 12-year-old girl.

The barrage - involving nearly 600 drones and several dozen missiles aimed at seven regions of Ukraine - is one of the heaviest in recent months.

Zelensky warned that Ukraine would retaliate and said the vile attack showed Moscow wants to continue fighting and killing. Russia said it struck military facilities and industrial enterprises supporting Ukraine's armed forces.

For Ukrainians, aerial bombardments can be both random and routine. They tend to occur late on Saturday evenings - in this case, the first sirens were heard at 22:00 GMT.

The sound of anti-aircraft fire was punctuated with occasional explosions - presumably either from the sound of an intercepted drone or one hitting its target.

In Kyiv, the country's air alert app urged people to head to shelters and stay there. They were followed by pings warning of an increased aerial threat as hundreds of drones descended on the city.

Ukraine's Defence Minister Igor Klymenko said that at least 100 civilian sites had been damaged across the country by the attack, with entire neighborhoods left in ruins.

Emergency services reported fatalities at the Institute of Cardiology, where both a nurse and a patient lost their lives. Other targets included a major bakery, an automobile rubber factory, and several residential buildings.

Zelensky affirmed his commitment to strike back, aiming to force diplomacy from Russia, and he urged for a strong international reaction, especially from Europe and the US.

This dastardly attack took place at the end of the week of the UN General Assembly, and this is how Russia declares its real position, he said.

Zelensky also showed support for stronger sanctions against Russia and called on European allies to curb oil and gas imports from Moscow.

In addition to Kyiv, regions like Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, and Odesa were also attacked, leading to casualties including children.

In reaction to the ongoing assaults, NATO is enhancing its presence in the Baltic Sea and monitoring airspaces in Poland and Denmark as the situation evolves.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated the country has no intent to strike EU or NATO members but warned of a decisive response to any aggression aimed at Moscow.