Full Breakdown
Massive Russian Drone and Missile Barrage Targets Ukrainian Cities
4/25/2026, 9:04:34 PM
Scale and Casualties
On the night of 24-25 April 2026 Russia launched 619 drones and 47 missiles—666 weapons—in a coordinated strike on eight Ukrainian regions. Dnipro suffered the heaviest damage when a four-storey apartment block was hit, killing four to seven civilians and wounding 30-45. Chernihiv saw two deaths and seven injuries; Odesa lost a married couple and a foreign-flagged ship was hit; Kharkiv, Kyiv-region (Bila Tserkva), Sumy and Mykolaiv also reported strikes. Ukrainian air defences intercepted 580 drones and 30 missiles, leaving 86 projectiles that struck.
Ukrainian Air Defence and International Response
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the raid “calculated terror” and urged air-defence aid and a new EU sanctions package. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said Russia is deliberately prolonging terror against civilians. Romania’s defence ministry reported drone debris damaging a farm outbuilding and an electricity pole, condemning the breach of international law. NATO confirmed Typhoon jets from Romania had authority to engage but did not fire, as the drones were neutralised outside Romanian airspace; the UK denied any shoot-downs. Russia’s defence ministry claimed to have downed 127 Ukrainian drones over its territory.
On-the-Ground Accounts
Dnipro resident Aliona Katrushova, standing by the ruined block, said, “May their children sleep in their warm beds in Russia… let them watch as Russia ‘liberates’ us of our apartments.” Oleh, whose flat was damaged, called surviving the strike “like being given a second life.” Witness Olha described the explosions as “very loud” and noted many residents remain displaced.
Criticism of Russian Tactics
Ukrainian officials and EU diplomats denounced the barrage as an indiscriminate attack on civilian infrastructure. Svyrydenko warned Moscow’s strategy aims to exhaust Western air-defence munitions, and EU leaders called for a new sanctions package to pressure Russia.
Conflicting Figures
Dnipro casualty counts range from four to seven dead and 30-45 injured. Russian claims of seizing Bochkove village in Kharkiv remain unverified. Ukraine reports 580 drones downed; Russia says it intercepted 127 Ukrainian drones.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Russia is deliberately prolonging its terror against our people, continuing to target critical infrastructure and residential buildings,” — Yulia Svyrydenko, Prime Minister of Ukraine
- “May their children sleep in their warm beds in Russia, and may everything be all right for them. Let them watch as Russia 'liberates' us of our apartments and houses,” — Aliona Katrushova, Dnipro resident
- “Every strike like this must remind our partners that the situation needs immediate and firm action, rapid strengthening of our air defences,” — Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine
Outlook
After the attack, Zelenskyy met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev to expand air-defence cooperation and explore joint military production. Ukraine keeps pressing the EU for accelerated interceptor deliveries, while NATO monitors the risk of further spill-over incidents along its eastern flank.
