Russia launches drone attack on Ukraine overnight, explosions reported in Kyiv and Kharkiv

Russian invaders launched a large-scale drone and missile assault across Ukraine overnight, with explosions and fires reported in multiple oblasts and civilian casualties confirmed.

In Balakliia, Kharkiv Oblast, more than 10 Shahed drone strikes set fire to over 10 residential buildings, destroying nearly an entire street, said Vitaly Karabanov, head of the Balakliia military administration. Casualties were reported, though the number remains unclear.

Three women were injured in Chuhuiv, also in Kharkiv Oblast, after a strike on a residential neighborhood, Mayor Halyna Minaieva said. In Mykolaiv, at least three people were hospitalized following a Russian strike, according to regional governor Vitaliy Kim.

In Kyiv, explosions were heard around 1:11 a.m. local time as the capital came under missile attack. “The enemy is attacking Kyiv with missiles. Please stay in shelters,” said Timur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv city military administration.

The assault began earlier in the evening, around 9 p.m. local time, with air alerts declared in multiple oblasts including Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Poltava, Zaporizhzhya, and Dnipropetrovsk. The Ukrainian Air Force tracked the movement of numerous Shahed drones entering from the north and northeast, moving toward central and southern oblasts.

In Poltava Oblast, drones were seen heading for Hadiach, Komyshnia, and Myrhorod. Explosions were also reported in Kharkiv, Chuhuiv, and Mykolaiv. Fires broke out in Mykolaiv, damaging private homes and high-rise buildings, according to Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych. The local emergency service published images of the aftermath.

The Air Force reported power outages in Mykolaiv and Kherson oblasts, though the causes were still under investigation. In Kherson, a rocket was seen approaching before power was cut. No explosions were reported there.

By morning, Ukrainian forces continued tracking UAV movements across multiple oblasts, including Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, and Dnipropetrovsk. The Air Force also warned of the presence of Russian Tu-22M3 bombers over the Black Sea, raising the threat of Kh-22 missile launches.

The full scale of damage and casualties from the overnight attacks is still being assessed.