"Over 280 attack drones": Zelenskyy says Russian strikes killed 8 across Ukraine
Kyiv, July 30
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday said Russian forces had launched a massive overnight aerial assault across several Ukrainian regions, killing at least eight people, including parents and three children, while dozens were injured.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy said, "Last night, a Russian missile strike on Radushne in the Dnipro region killed parents and three children. Two more children were pulled alive from under the rubble."
He said the missile strike destroyed an ordinary residential building, while rescue operations were underway in Lviv after another residential building was hit.
"So far, eight people have been reported killed across the country. My condolences to their families and loved ones. Dozens of people were injured, and everyone is receiving the necessary medical care. All the relevant services are involved," he said.
Zelenskyy said Kyiv and the surrounding region, Dnipro, Lviv, Poltava, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy and Ivano-Frankivsk came under strike overnight.
"More than 70 missiles were used in this strike, a significant number of them ballistic. There were also over 280 attack drones. More than 260 drones were intercepted," he said.
He added that Ukrainian combat aviation shot down a significant number of cruise missiles and that mobile fire teams also managed to intercept cruise missiles.
Zelenskyy attributed Ukraine's ability to repel the strikes to the professionalism of its air defence forces, while highlighting what he called a critical shortage of air defence missiles supplied by partners.
"Given the critical shortage of air defense missiles from our partners, our warriors are accomplishing truly incredible things, demonstrating a very high level of professionalism," he said.
"This Russian terror once again proves that protection against the Russian missile threat is the most important task when it comes to saving the lives of our people," Zelenskyy added.
He said Ukraine's partners must provide timely assistance, warning that delays in deliveries of anti-ballistic missiles were contributing to casualties and destruction.
"Untimely assistance and delays in the delivery of anti-ballistic missiles lead to this kind of destruction, these kinds of casualties that, unfortunately, we are seeing today," he said.
Meanwhile, Russia's Defence Ministry, according to Sputnik, said Russian forces had carried out a sweeping wave of strikes against Ukrainian military infrastructure, including airfields, defence-industry facilities, logistics hubs and command and supply facilities.
The Russian Defence Ministry said the strikes involved long-range, precision-guided weapons launched from land, sea and air, along with attack drones.
According to Sputnik, the strikes targeted areas across seven Ukrainian regions, including Kyiv, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zhytomyr, Rivne, Vinnytsia and Dnipropetrovsk. The targets reportedly included air bases, arms production facilities, telecommunications infrastructure and logistics centres involved in missile and drone production, storage and transportation, as well as Ukraine's air-surveillance network.
Sputnik also reported that three dry-cargo ships came under fire, including one at the Black Sea port of Yuzhnyi and two off the eastern and southern coasts of Odesa, with the vessels allegedly carrying weapons and military cargo.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The scale of these attacks is terrifying—over 70 missiles and 280 drones in one night. Zelenskyy is right about the need for faster aid from partners. Every delay costs lives, and this is a humanitarian crisis that affects us all globally.
While I condemn the loss of innocent lives, the article also raises questions about the military targets claimed by Russia. In any conflict, civilian casualties are tragic, but we must also verify claims from both sides. The Indian approach of non-alignment and diplomacy is needed here.
Over 260 drones intercepted—Ukrainian air defence is doing an incredible job despite shortages. It's shameful that partners are delaying anti-ballistic missile deliveries. This isn't just Ukraine's fight; it's a battle for global security and rule of law.
Reading about the parents and three children killed in Radushne—I can't imagine the pain. This war has gone on too long. India must use its influence with both Russia and the West to push for a ceasefire. Enough is enough. 😢
Two children pulled alive from rubble—that's a small miracle amidst the devastation. But I worry about the long-term impact on Ukraine's youth. As someone from a country that has seen conflict, I know the trauma lasts generations. Peace talks must restart urgently.
J James A