Russian missiles pound Kyiv, 12 regions; 12 killed as Ukraine seeks Patriots

Russian missiles and drones hit Kyiv and at least 12 other Ukrainian regions overnight into Wednesday, killing at least 12 civilians, including three children, and injuring more than 40, Ukrainian officials said. The barrage came after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had warned a day earlier that intelligence assessments pointed to a "massive" Russian strike.

The attack, which coincided with Russian President Vladimir Putin's 74th birthday, again underlined the pressure on Ukraine's air defences. Ukrainian officials said the country could not fully repel the barrage, highlighting the challenge of stopping Russian ballistic missiles and a newer wave of jet-powered drones as the war remains largely deadlocked on the battlefield.

A Russian strike destroyed an apartment block in Pryluky in the northern Chernihiv region, killing nine people, including three children, and wounding 34, Interior Minister Ihor Vyhivskyi said. Deaths were also reported in three other Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, according to Zelenskyy. "The Russians wanted to strike painfully and demonstratively," Zelenskyy said on social media.

Ukraine is searching globally for available Patriot missiles, which Zelenskyy said are in short supply because of the Iran war. "Russian ballistic missiles remain the greatest challenge. And air defense packages for us right now are a vital necessity," he said. Ukraine is also racing to develop interceptors that can catch the high-flying jet-propelled drones used by Russia.

In Kremenchuk in the Poltava region, two people were killed and seven injured, said Vitalii Diakivnych, head of the regional military administration, adding that a rescue operation was continuing. He said: "That is exactly what the enemy is counting on. For us to be afraid to fall asleep. To let our children out of our sight. To plan anything. So that everyone thinks: next time it could be my address."

Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces carried out a massive overnight strike targeting industrial sites involved in the production and storage of missiles and drones across Ukraine. It also said port and ship repair facilities in the southern Odesa region, as well as ships carrying cargo for the Ukrainian military, were hit.

Ukraine, meanwhile, said it had struck back with long-range drones and missiles on Russian oil infrastructure. Zelenskyy said targets included two oil facilities and a training ground in the Perm, Samara and Astrakhan regions. Russian officials did not immediately comment. Zelenskyy also indicated that Ukraine had carried out a strike in the Black Sea, posting images he said showed an oil tanker on fire near the Russian city of Sochi. The images could not be independently verified, and unconfirmed media reports said the vessel was carrying oil from Novorossiysk to India and was attacked by Ukrainian sea drones.

The exchange came as long-range aerial attacks continue on both sides and US-led peace efforts offer little immediate prospect of relief, with possible low-level technical talks still under discussion. Wednesday's strikes showed both the scale of Russia's bombardment and Ukraine's effort to hit back while seeking more air defence support.

With PTI Inputs

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