The attacks came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had warned that Russia was preparing a large-scale assault and renewed his appeal to Ukraine’s allies to strengthen the country’s air defense capabilities.
Zelensky said Russia fired more than 70 missiles and launched around 280 drones during the overnight assault.
In the central city of Kryvyi Rih, a missile struck a residential building, killing six people, including four adults and two girls aged five and 12. Eight other people were injured, while local authorities warned that the death toll could rise as rescue operations continued.
In the eastern Poltava region, officials said one person was killed after a Russian drone struck a warehouse. In the western city of Lviv, at least 15 people were injured in separate attacks.
In the capital, Kyiv, city authorities reported that one person was killed and two others were wounded. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Russia targeted the capital with heavy missile strikes.
Klitschko urged residents to remain in bomb shelters, adding that the attacks sparked fires in several parts of the city.
President Zelensky said Russia had been preparing the assault for several days and called on Ukrainians across the country to remain in safe locations.
The latest strikes come as Russia has intensified its attacks while the war, now in its fifth year, continues with no immediate end in sight.
The United Nations recently reported that June recorded the highest civilian death toll in Ukraine since April 2022, largely due to an increase in Russian missile strikes on cities across the country.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has also stepped up retaliatory attacks inside Russia, seeking to increase pressure on Moscow to engage in negotiations aimed at ending the war.
