Russia launched a massive aerial assault on Ukraine early Saturday, deploying 597 drones and 26 missiles in its fourth major attack this month. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed the strikes killed at least two civilians and injured 20, with widespread damage reported in key western cities including Lviv, Lutsk, and Chernivtsi.
Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 25 missiles and downed 319 Iranian-made Shahed drones, while jamming another 258 through electronic warfare systems, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. The cities of Lviv and Chernivtsi, both near EU borders—Poland and Romania respectively—sustained some of the heaviest damage.
In Chernivtsi, a city roughly 40 kilometers from Romania, a 26-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man were killed. Fourteen others were injured as drones and missiles struck residential neighborhoods, igniting fires and damaging homes and administrative buildings.
Lviv’s mayor reported severe damage to 46 residential buildings, a university, the city court, and around 20 offices housing small and medium-sized businesses. Survivors described shattered windows, destroyed interiors, and the trauma of repeated air raids.
President Zelenskiy condemned the attacks and called for stronger international sanctions against Russia and increased delivery of air defense systems. “The pace of Russia’s aerial strikes demands swift decisions. This war can only be stopped through strength,” he said via Telegram.
The United Nations recently reported that June marked the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians in nearly three years, with 232 fatalities and over 1,300 injuries. Russia has escalated its aerial campaign since June, intensifying pressure on Ukraine’s infrastructure and civilian population.
This latest attack underscores the ongoing urgency for global support in protecting Ukrainian cities from continued drone and missile threats amid the prolonged war.