KYIV, Ukraine (AP) 鈥� Russia hammered civilian areas with drones and missiles Thursday, killing at least 16 people and wounding more than 100 others in the worst aerial attack in weeks, Ukrainian authorities said.
Nearly 700 drones and dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles were used, as Ukrainian officials acknowledged that vital stocks of advanced interceptors are running low.
Tetiana Sokol, a 54-year-old Kyiv resident, said two missiles hit near her home and she took cover with her dog in the hallway as flashes lit up the night and windows shattered from the blast wave.
鈥淥n the third attack everything broke, everything flew, we were shocked, we didn鈥檛 know where to run. I grabbed whatever came to hand and ran away with the dog,鈥� she told The Associated Press.
Moscow’s forces have since its of its neighbor more than four years ago, with the regular assaults occasionally punctuated by massive attacks. More than have died in the strikes, the United Nations says.
Russia’s Defense Ministry maintained the operation was launched against military-related targets 鈥渋n retaliation鈥� for Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russia against oil refineries and weapons plants.
European Council President Ant贸nio Costa described Thursday’s strikes in Ukraine as 鈥測et another horrendous attack鈥� while people slept in their homes.
Zelenskyy on a mission to improve air defenses
The attacks came in the wake of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s this week to Germany, Norway and Italy in an urgent search for more air defense systems that can stop Russian missiles.
Ukraine has developed a , especially in the production of drones and missiles, but cannot yet match the sophistication of U.S. Patriot air defense systems.
Yuriy Ihnat, head of communications for the Ukrainian air force, said the Russian attack made extensive use of ballistic missiles, which only Patriot systems can reliably shoot down.
鈥淲e desperately need more missiles for the Patriot systems,” Ihnat told Ukraine鈥檚 private TV channel 1+1.
Ukraine fears the is depleting stockpiles of the advanced American-made air defense systems it needs, and strongly opposes a U.S. pause on Russian oil sanctions.
鈥淎nother night has proven that Russia does not deserve any easing of global policy or lifting of sanctions,鈥� Zelenskyy said on X.
Ukrainian city grieves over death of young boy
Thursday’s strikes killed four people in Kyiv, including a 12-year-old, with more than 50 others injured, authorities said. Attacks killed nine people in the southern port city of Odesa and four in the central Dnipro region.
The central city of Cherkasy declared a day of mourning Thursday for the funeral of eight-year-old Bohdan Serhiiev, killed in a Russian drone strike earlier this week.
Mourners left flowers and stuffed toys next to the open casket before the burial, while friends and classmates held white balloons and a sign reading 鈥淓ternal Memory.鈥�
鈥淗e was such a happy kid. He was always running around and he loved me so much,鈥� Bohdan鈥檚 15-year-old brother Denys Zhuk, told the AP. “We played together, went to soccer l together. I love my younger brother so much. I just wish he was here with me.鈥�
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Hanna Arhirova and Derek Gatopoulos in Kyiv contributed.
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