Russia launched a massive overnight missile and drone strike across Ukraine on Friday , killing four people and injuring at least 80 others, including emergency responders, according to Ukrainian officials.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the scale of the assault in a statement Friday morning, condemning it as “a cynical Russian strike on ordinary cities.” The barrage targeted multiple regions across the country, including Kyiv, Lviv, Volyn, Ternopil, Sumy, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, and Chernihiv.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that the attack involved a staggering 452 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) — including Iranian-designed Shahed-type suicide drones — and 45 missiles of various types. Air defenses successfully intercepted 199 drones and 36 missiles, including an Iskander-M ballistic missile. Officials noted that 169 of the drones appeared to serve as decoys, aimed at overwhelming Ukraine’s air defense systems.

“This is not a new tactic — Russia has been systematically targeting cities and civilian infrastructure since the beginning of this war,” President Zelensky said. “Russia must be held accountable for its continued acts of terror. Every strike is an attack on life itself.”

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed the strikes were a retaliatory measure in response to a recent Ukrainian drone operation dubbed Operation Spiderweb, which reportedly targeted Russian air bases. According to Moscow, the “goals of the strike were achieved,” although specific targets remain undisclosed.

The attack comes on the heels of a reported phone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump, during which Putin allegedly pledged a strong response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory.

Zelensky called on the international community to respond firmly to the renewed escalation, urging increased pressure on Moscow to halt its military aggression and accept a ceasefire. “Global action is needed. We cannot allow this brutality to continue unchecked,” he said.

As recovery efforts continue across multiple cities, air raid sirens remain a familiar sound for Ukrainians living under the constant threat of missile and drone attacks more than three years into the war. (ILKHA)