Russia this greeting launched 1 of its astir sadistic bombing raids connected Ukraine successful nan warfare truthful far, pounding Kyiv and different cities pinch waves of drones and missiles and prompting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to telephone for nan thief of European warplanes.
Nationwide aerial ambush alerts were triggered successful nan early hours arsenic Ukraine's aerial defences sprang into action to sprout down a torrent of drones, which were launched arsenic Moscow seeks revenge for Ukraine's penetration of its Kursk region.
The attacks kept coming, and hours later Ukraine's aerial unit warned that Russia had deployed almost a twelve Tu-95 and six Tu-22M3 strategical bombers which fto loose salvo aft salvo of missiles during Monday greeting unreserved hour.
MiG-31K warplanes - tin of firing fearsome Kinzhal supersonic missiles - and 4 naval vessels were besides progressive successful nan bombardment.
At slightest 3 group were killed successful nan strikes and much were wounded, pinch casualties reported successful nan northwestern metropolis of Lutsk, eastbound Dnipro and nan confederate Zaporizhzhia regions.
The decease toll is expected to emergence sharply arsenic rescuers statesman combing done nan rubble.
Following nan attacks, Zelensky urged European leaders to licence their aerial forces to thief down drones and missiles complete Ukraine.
'In our various regions of Ukraine, we could do overmuch much to protect lives if nan aviation of our European neighbours worked together pinch our F-16s and together pinch our aerial defence,' he said successful a station connected societal media.
A residential flat artifact was destroyed successful nan northwestern metropolis of Lutsk, wherever 1 personification is reported to person been killed
Video shows explosions, reportedly successful Kyiv, arsenic Russia launched a bombardment of Ukraine this morning
An detonation tin beryllium seen arsenic a Russian projectile, believed to beryllium a drone, smashed into a building successful Lutsk
Smoke rises complete a building successful occidental Ukraine amid 1 of nan aerial attacks by Russia of nan state since nan warfare began
Thunderous explosions were reported successful Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Lutsk and Zaporizhzhia. Pictured: Smoke trails pursuing a onslaught connected Dnipro
A visibly enraged Putin is seen successful a muted video from a play gathering pinch apical subject chiefs
Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed that much than half of nan country's regions - 15 successful full - had been struck by missiles and drones, pinch thunderous explosions besides heard successful nan capital.
Major blasts rang retired this greeting successful Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Kremenchuk, Vinnytsia, Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk, officials and eyewitnesses reported, pinch nan grade of nan harm still unknown.
A residential flat artifact was destroyed successful Lutsk, pinch rescue teams now moving to evacuate survivors, nan city's politician said.
Ukraine's grid usability Ukrenergo has ordered emergency blackouts crossed nan state arsenic areas of Kyiv, Odesa and nan president's location municipality of Kryvyi Rih were near without power. Water supplies were besides deed successful Kyiv and elsewhere.
Zelensky said Russia had carried retired strikes connected Ukraine utilizing much than 100 missiles and astir 100 drones, imploring Western partners to deploy their ain aerial assets to protect his federation from further Russian attacks.
'It was 1 of nan largest strikes - a mixed one. More than a 100 missiles of various types and astir a 100 ''shaheds'',' Zelensky said successful a video connection posted connected Telegram, referring to onslaught drones.
'Like astir Russian strikes before, this 1 was arsenic insidious, targeting captious civilian infrastructure. The power assemblage has sustained important damage, but successful each area affected by powerfulness outages, restoration activity is already successful progress.
'Our defenders cannot beryllium restricted successful their weapons erstwhile Russia deploys its full arsenal, including ''shaheds'' and ballistic missiles from North Korea. America, Britain, France, and our different partners person nan powerfulness to thief america extremity this terror. The clip for decisive action is now,' he said.
Meanwhile, NATO ordered its warplanes to alert complete Poland and elsewhere connected nan alliance's eastbound frontier arsenic nan far-reaching onslaught unfolded.
The Operational Command of nan Polish equipped forces said connected X that Polish and allied craft had been activated aft Russia launched nan onslaught which besides targeted regions successful Ukraine's westbound and adjacent nan Polish border.
Rescue workers wrong a building successful Lutsk aft it was deed successful a Russian drone attack
Video what Russian Telegram channels SHOT and Mash identified arsenic a high-rise residential building successful nan city, pinch a damaged broadside and respective windows blown retired crossed 3 floors
The Ukrainians person been expecting a awesome Russian rocket onslaught for immoderate time.
The US embassy issued a informing past week of an elevated consequence of onslaught astir Ukrainian Independence Day, which Ukraine marked connected Saturday.
Russia launched 2 waves of drone attacks earlier connected Monday, Ukraine's subject said, pinch first accusation showing nary harm aliases casualties, earlier nan awesome battle unfolded later successful nan morning.
Up to 10 drones were destroyed connected their attack to nan metropolis successful nan region astir Kyiv astatine astir 0230 GMT, Serhiy Popko, caput of Kyiv's subject administration, said connected nan Telegram messaging app.
Ukraine has itself stepped up its long-range drone attacks connected Russia to effort deed backmost astatine Moscow, which launched a full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful February 2022.
'The desire to destruct our power will costs nan Russians dearly: their infrastructure,' Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelensky's main of staff, said connected Telegram, apparently vowing retaliation.
Moscow coming claimed that a Ukrainian drone attempted to onslaught an lipid refinery heavy wrong nan state successful nan metropolis of Yaroslavl, northbound of Moscow, this weekend.
The Russian defence ministry added that its aerial defence systems had taken down 20 Ukrainian drones, including 3 complete nan Kursk region, wherever Zelensky's forces launched an incursion almost 3 weeks ago.
A residential analyzable successful nan southwestern metropolis of Saratov had besides been damaged by falling debris from drones destroyed by Russia's aerial defence systems this weekend, location politician Roman Basurgin said connected nan Telegram messaging app.
A residential analyzable successful nan metropolis of Saratov had been damaged by falling debris from drones destroyed by Russia's aerial defence systems, location politician Roman Basurgin said
Reuters journalists were staying astatine Hotel Sapphire erstwhile nan Iskander-M Russian ballistic rocket deed connected Sunday
Ukrainian recuers return a break during a hunt and rescue cognition among nan rubble of a destroyed edifice aft a onslaught successful nan municipality of Kramatorsk, Donetsk region connected Sunday
Video posted connected Telegram by nan Russian news SHOT transmission showed what it identified arsenic a high-rise residential building successful nan city, pinch a damaged broadside and respective windows blown retired crossed 3 floors.
In Engels, nan apical level of a residential building was damaged, it added.
Both Russia and Ukraine contradict targeting civilians. Each says its attacks are aimed astatine destroying infrastructure cardinal to nan other's warfare effort.