At least four people were killed and several others injured in a series of overnight Russian strikes on Ukraine, coming just days after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed new sanctions on Russian oil companies.
According to Kyiv’s military administration, a ballistic missile strike hit the Ukrainian capital early Saturday, leaving two people dead and 13 injured. Head of the administration, Tymur Tkachenko, said on social media that a kindergarten in the Dnipro district was also damaged, with debris and shattered glass injuring several residents.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, acting Governor Vladyslav Haivanenko reported two additional deaths and seven injuries following attacks that damaged residential buildings and private homes.
Ukraine’s air force stated that Russia launched nine missiles and 62 drones overnight. While 50 drones and four missiles were intercepted, several targets still managed to cause destruction across urban areas.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky extended condolences to the victims’ families and renewed his appeal for stronger Western military support — particularly more Patriot air defense systems — to defend Ukraine’s cities from future strikes.
“It is critical that our partners who possess such systems act on what we’ve discussed in recent days,” Zelensky said. “No country should be left alone in the face of such evil.”
The plea follows stalled U.S.-led peace talks and comes as Ukraine finalizes a deal with Washington for additional defense systems. Germany has already supplied two Patriot batteries this year under NATO’s Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List, bringing Ukraine’s total to at least seven since the war began in 2022.
Zelensky’s renewed calls come after a planned meeting between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest was abruptly cancelled. The Ukrainian leader has repeatedly argued that denying Kyiv access to long-range missiles undermines diplomatic efforts by emboldening Moscow.
“The front line can spark diplomacy,” Zelensky said in a recent address. “But without the capability for deep strikes, Russia feels no pressure to negotiate.”
Earlier this week, the Trump administration targeted Russia’s two largest oil firms — Rosneft and Lukoil — with sanctions following months of failed peace efforts. “These are tremendous sanctions,” Trump said, expressing hope they would encourage Moscow to pursue a settlement.
The overnight assault highlights the continuing volatility of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, even as global powers attempt to revive diplomacy and avert further escalation.
