Waves of drone and missile attacks targeted Kyiv in the largest aerial attack since Russia's war in Ukraine began, injuring 23 people and inflicting damage across multiple districts of the capital,
ABC Net reports.
Russia launched 539 drones, 11 ballistic and cruise missiles at Ukraine on Thursday night, local time into Friday, the Ukrainian air force said.
Throughout the night, Associated Press journalists in Kyiv heard the constant buzzing of drones overhead and the sound of explosions and intense machine gun fire as Ukrainian forces tried to intercept the aerial assault.
Kyiv was the primary target of the attack, with at least 23 people injured and 14 hospitalised, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
Ukrainian air defences shot down 270 targets, including two cruise missiles. Another 208 targets were lost from radar and presumed jammed.
Russia successfully hit eight locations with nine missiles and 63 drones.
Debris from intercepted drones fell across at least 33 sites.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attack was one of the largest yet, and that Russia would not stop without large-scale pressure.
"For every such strike against people and human life, they must feel appropriate sanctions and other blows to their economy, their revenues, and their infrastructure," Zelenskyy said on social media, calling the attack "deliberately massive and cynical".
