Russia strikes Ukraine: 5 dead, energy grid hit

Russian forces launched a heavy barrage of missiles and drones on Ukraine on Saturday, killing at least five people and causing widespread damage

Russian forces launched a heavy barrage of missiles and drones on Ukraine on Saturday, killing at least five people and causing widespread damage, officials said. The attacks targeted energy infrastructure, residential areas, schools, and businesses across multiple regions.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the main strikes focused on energy facilities near Kyiv. He warned that Russia is using the conflict in Iran as a distraction to intensify attacks in Ukraine.

Around 430 drones and 68 missiles were reportedly used in the assault. Most were intercepted by Ukraine’s air defence systems, but several reached their targets.

In the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, guided bombs destroyed parts of a residential neighborhood. Local authorities reported one death and three injuries. Photographs from the area showed buildings reduced to rubble.

Other regions hit included Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Mykolaiv. In the Kyiv region alone, four people died, and 15 others were wounded. Damage was recorded in at least four districts around the capital.

The strikes also disrupted electricity in six regions. Ukraine’s Energy Ministry confirmed that consumers remain without power after the attacks and ongoing shelling in frontline areas.

Zelenskiy urged international partners to supply more air-defence weapons. He noted that stockpiles are running low as U.S. and allied forces respond to Iranian attacks in the Middle East.

Local residents described the attacks as relentless. “There’s no way Russia will stop. Nothing is enough for them,” said 57-year-old Natalia Fetko, whose building was damaged in Kyiv.

Ukraine has responded with strikes on Russian strategic infrastructure, including oil refineries, storage depots, and terminals.

The attacks also raised regional security concerns. Poland, a NATO member, scrambled jets to protect its airspace, though no violations were observed. Meanwhile, Moldova reported that a Russian drone briefly entered its airspace, prompting the foreign ministry to warn of the threat to citizens’ safety.