Russia unleashed a large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukrainian cities overnight on September 20, 2025, killing at least two people and injuring 36 others, Ukrainian officials reported.

The barrage targeted multiple regions, triggering air raid alerts across the country and causing significant damage to residential areas and infrastructure.

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia launched 579 drones, eight ballistic missiles, and 32 cruise missiles. Ukrainian air defenses successfully shot down 552 drones, two ballistic missiles, and 29 cruise missiles. Direct strikes were reported in 10 locations, including the cities of Dnipro, Pavlohrad, Mykolaiv, and communities in Kyiv Oblast.

The attack began around 4:40 a.m. local time, with explosions reported in Pavlohrad and Mykolaiv during an initial wave of missile strikes. Additional blasts rocked Dnipro shortly after 6 a.m. Air raid alerts were activated nationwide at 5:45 a.m. and lifted around 7 a.m.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, regional Governor Serhii Lysak reported one fatality and 30 injuries, with 14 people requiring hospitalization, including a 55-year-old man with burns covering 70% of his body. By 8 p.m., eight victims remained hospitalized, while others were receiving outpatient care. The attack damaged around 48 apartment buildings, several high-rise buildings, homes, and garages in Dnipro. Fires were also reported in Pavlohrad and Nikopol.

In Khmelnytskyi, Governor Serhii Tiurin confirmed the death of a man in his 50s, found in a home after a fire was extinguished. Two others in the region were injured. In Kyiv Oblast, strikes hit the communities of Bucha, Boryspil, and Obukhiv, damaging a home, 10 garage units, and five parked cars, according to the regional military administration. In Mykolaiv, Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych reported damage to a residential area but no casualties. Lviv Oblast Governor Maxim Kozytsky noted that two cruise missiles were shot down over the region, with no reported casualties or damage.

The attack prompted a response from NATO, with Poland scrambling fighter jets to protect its airspace amid the barrage. This follows recent violations of NATO airspace by Russian drones, including an incident on September 19 over the Gulf of Finland in Estonian territory. Estonia’s Prime Minister Kristen Michal announced that Tallinn was requesting consultations under NATO’s Article 4, allowing member states to discuss security threats with allies. A similar violation occurred just over a week ago when Poland’s Air Force downed Russian drones over NATO territory for the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.

The assault underscores the ongoing escalation of Russia’s military campaign against Ukraine, with civilian areas bearing the brunt of the attacks. Ukrainian authorities are assessing the full extent of the damage as recovery efforts continue. (ILKHA)