Russia launched a major daytime drone attack on Ukraine's critical infrastructure on Wednesday, with Ukrainian officials reporting over 100 drones in the air. The attack came despite US President Donald Trump's claim that the war is 'very close' to ending.
Ukraine's HUR military intelligence agency said dozens of drones were trying to overwhelm air defences ahead of expected missile strikes. Air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv around 11am local time as trackers reported some 200 drones heading south and west from the Belarus border. Poland scrambled fighter jets and put air defences on heightened alert as a precaution.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was 'brazenly' targeting railway infrastructure and civilian sites. He reported casualties from strikes in 14 regions, following attacks on Tuesday that killed at least six in Dnipropetrovsk. Ukraine's air force said 139 drones were launched since Tuesday evening, with 111 downed or neutralised.
Russia has intensified daytime attacks in recent weeks, a tactical shift likely to disrupt civilian life. Serhiy Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukraine's defence minister, said large numbers of drones flew 5-10 km from the Belarus border to overwhelm defences. Attacks hit the Khmelnytskyi region, wounding three, and a bus in Kherson, wounding seven. Debris fell in Kyiv's Obolon district.
Moscow denies targeting civilians but has killed thousands. Ukraine also resumed drone strikes on Russian oil refineries and ports after a three-day ceasefire proposed by Trump expired. Russia said it intercepted 286 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated that peace talks could start if Ukraine withdraws from Donbas, which Kyiv rejects. Zelensky cast doubt on Russia's willingness to end the war, saying Ukraine is preparing for new attacks.
