Russian Forces Launch Massive Aerial Attack on Ukraine, Killing at Least Four
Russian forces conducted a large-scale drone and missile attack on Ukraine on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of at least four individuals, including a 12-year-old girl, and the wounding of 10 others, primarily in Kyiv. Ukrainian officials confirmed the casualties, with Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv City Administration, stating that the attack targeted the capital and caused significant damage to infrastructure and civilian areas. The strike, which occurred on the heels of a previous major barrage last month, marked the first major aerial assault since the war’s onset, highlighting Russia’s continued focus on destabilizing Ukrainian defenses.
The assault extended to multiple regions, including Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, and Odesa, with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy reporting 70 injuries nationwide. The attack, which Zelenskyy described as a ‘vile’ act, was timed to occur at the end of the UN General Assembly week, emphasizing Russia’s intent to assert its position on the global stage. The strike underscored the ongoing conflict’s intensity, with Ukraine’s air force reporting that Russian forces launched 595 drones and 48 missiles, of which 566 drones and 45 missiles were intercepted or jammed.
Simultaneously, the UN Security Council rejected a Russia-China resolution to extend Iran’s nuclear sanctions relief, signaling a broader shift in international solidarity with Ukraine. The rejection, which followed a previous vote in favor of a similar resolution, highlighted the growing divide between Moscow and the rest of the world, particularly amid the ongoing war. Additionally, the conflict has intensified geopolitical tensions, as former U.S. President Donald Trump, during the UN General Assembly, shifted his rhetoric from advocating for peace talks to urging Ukrainian forces to pursue aggressive countermeasures against Russia. This marked a significant departure from his earlier stance, where he had cautioned against Kyiv’s potential to confront Russia without significant concessions.