Russia carried out one of its largest drone assaults in recent weeks overnight, striking multiple Ukrainian regions with more than 140 attack and decoy drones, Ukrainian authorities confirmed on Sunday.

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Moscow deployed 142 drones across the country, targeting Kherson, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted and destroyed 126 of them, but 16 drones struck 10 separate locations, causing deaths, injuries, and widespread destruction.

The southern city of Kherson bore the heaviest toll, where at least two people were killed and 14 others injured. Local officials reported that the strikes damaged nine residential homes, medical and educational facilities, an administrative building, a gas station, and several civilian vehicles. Emergency teams were deployed to assist victims and clear debris from the affected neighborhoods.

In the Odesa region, one person was reported injured, with the Black Sea port city of Chornomorsk suffering the most damage. Critical energy infrastructure was hit, cutting off electricity to more than 29,000 residents, Odesa District Governor Oleg Kiper said.

“Restoration work has begun, and critical infrastructure is powered by generators,” Kiper announced on Telegram, noting that repair crews were working to restore the grid.

The overnight bombardment marked Russia’s third large-scale attack on Ukraine within a single week, underscoring the intensity of Moscow’s ongoing campaign. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strikes, warning that international inaction would prolong the conflict.

“Without pressure from the world, there will be no end to the war,” Zelenskyy stated, urging allies to maintain and expand support for Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy reported heavy clashes in the Pokrovsk region of Donetsk, where Russian forces are concentrating their offensive. He claimed that Ukrainian troops had inflicted major losses on Russian units, with over 290,000 Russian soldiers killed or severely wounded since the beginning of 2025.

“Our units continue to destroy the occupier,” the Ukrainian president wrote on X.

The drone barrage highlights the escalating war of attrition between Moscow and Kyiv. While Ukrainian forces continue to defend strategic areas in the east, Russia is increasing its reliance on drone warfare to exhaust Ukraine’s air defenses and disrupt civilian life.

As repair work continues in Kherson and Odesa, officials warn that more attacks may follow, keeping much of Ukraine on high alert. (ILKHA)