Russia Launches Largest Aerial Assault on Ukraine Since War Began

Russia has executed its most extensive aerial assault on Ukraine since the conflict began, launching 948 drones over a 24-hour period. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that 556 drones were fired since 7 a.m. GMT on Tuesday, targeting various locations, including the UNESCO World Heritage site in Lviv. The 17th-century St. Andrew's Church, over 400 years old, sustained damage during the attacks.

At least five people were killed, and dozens more were injured as a result of the strikes. In his nightly video address on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the scale of the attack "clearly shows that Russia has no real intention of ending this war."

The morning strikes followed a large-scale missile and drone attack on multiple Ukrainian cities through Monday night, which killed at least five people and injured 16 others. Explosions were reported in the cities of Poltava and Zaporizhzhia shortly before 3 a.m.

In response to the Russian strikes, Poland scrambled fighter planes and allied aircraft, though it later confirmed that "no violations of the country's airspace were observed."

On the front lines, a Ukrainian soldier near the city of Lyman in the eastern Donetsk region reported intensified Russian assaults in recent days. Despite increased bombardments and repeated ground attacks, Russian forces have failed to achieve a breakthrough. The soldier, identified by the call sign "King," noted that Ukrainian units repelled initial assaults, destroying advancing Russian columns and inflicting significant losses in terms of both armored vehicles and personnel. He described the situation as "tense, but not critical."

Additionally, a fire broke out at Russia's Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga following a drone attack. The governor of the Leningrad region, Alexander Drozdenko, reported that 33 drones were shot down over the northwestern region of Russia and confirmed that no injuries were reported due to the attacks.