Sunday February 2, 2025 | TheNewsDESK
At least 15 people were killed and dozens injured after Russian drones and missiles struck multiple cities across Ukraine on Saturday, hitting residential buildings and energy infrastructure.
Ukraine’s Emergency Services reported that a Russian missile struck a residential building in the central city of Poltava, killing 11 people and injuring 16 others, including four children.
Rescue teams worked through the night, pulling 22 survivors from the rubble while carrying out the dead on stretchers.
Among those devastated by the attack was a retired military veteran, who waited outside the collapsed building, hoping for news of his son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter, believed to have died on the first floor.
In Kharkiv, a drone attack killed one person and injured four others.
In Sumy, three police officers were killed while on patrol in a village.
Ukraine and Russia traded blame over a missile strike on a dormitory in a Ukrainian-controlled part of Russia’s Kursk region, with four reported deaths.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy condemned the attacks, calling for stronger international support to defend against Russian aggression.
“Each such terrorist attack proves that we need more support in defending ourselves against Russian terror. Every air defense system, every anti-missile weapon, saves lives,” Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram.
According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia launched 123 drones and over 40 missiles during the overnight assault.
Ukrainian defense units shot down 56 drones and redirected 61 missiles, but the remaining strikes caused widespread destruction.
With tensions escalating and civilian casualties rising, Ukraine continues to press its allies for increased military aid and air defense systems to counter Russian attacks.
