Russia launched a wave of drone attacks across Ukraine early Thursday, injuring at least a dozen people and igniting multiple fires as efforts by the United States to broker peace remain stalled.
The airstrikes targeted the capital, Kyiv, and the southern port region of Mykolaiv, leaving behind scenes of destruction and growing frustration over the ongoing war.
Sirens echoed through the night in Kyiv, followed by loud blasts as Ukrainian air defense units worked to intercept the incoming drones. The Ukrainian air force reported that Russia deployed 145 drones, mainly the Iranian-made Shahed models, with 85 successfully shot down. The rest caused damage on the ground, including fires and injuries.
In Mykolaiv, ten people were reported wounded, three of whom required hospital treatment. A five-storey residential building caught fire during the bombardment. Photos released by emergency crews showed responders pulling survivors from the rubble and extinguishing flames.
In Kyiv, two people sustained injuries when debris from intercepted drones fell in residential areas. A warehouse was also set ablaze. Local officials stated that 16 of the 30 drones aimed at the city were destroyed before reaching their targets.
The increase in aerial assaults comes amid deadlocked diplomatic efforts. The United States has been pushing to bring both sides to the negotiating table, hoping to de-escalate a war that has stretched on since February 2022. However, neither Russia nor Ukraine appears ready to compromise as fighting intensifies.
Russia responded to Ukraine’s drone strikes by claiming it had intercepted 42 Ukrainian drones over its western and southern territories. Both nations have relied more heavily on drone warfare in recent months, raising concerns about further civilian harm and the war’s unpredictable direction.
With no clear path to peace and growing damage on both sides, the conflict appears locked in a cycle of attack and retaliation. The ongoing violence threatens to drag into yet another year, despite calls from international leaders to stop the bloodshed.