Widespread Russian military strikes across Ukraine have claimed the lives of at least 11 people and left dozens of others injured over a 24-hour period, local authorities reported on Saturday. The attacks, which spanned multiple regions from the northeast to the south, prompted neighboring Poland to scramble its military aircraft in response.
In the northeastern Kharkiv Oblast, five people were killed and 15 suffered injuries. Governor Oleh Syniehubov stated that Russian forces targeted the region with two missiles, five guided aerial bombs, and nearly 60 drones. The strikes hit several locations, including the cities of Kharkiv and Balakliia, as well as the villages of Lypkuvativka, Velykyi Burluk, and Slatyne.
Meanwhile, in the southern Kherson region, two people died and five were wounded during a barrage of drone strikes, aerial attacks, and artillery shelling. According to the Kherson Regional State Administration, the bombardment hit residential areas and critical social infrastructure. The strikes damaged five high-rise buildings and seven private homes, while also destroying administrative buildings, retail stores, a mobile phone tower, a utility building, a gas pipeline, and private vehicles.
In northern Sumy Oblast, a guided missile struck a high-rise building, killing a 51-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman. A separate drone strike in the same region claimed the life of a 32-year-old man. The Sumy Regional Military Administration documented 50 attacks targeting 21 settlements from Friday to Saturday morning, utilizing drones, mortars, artillery, and guided aerial bombs. To the east, in Donetsk Oblast, one person was killed in the city of Kramatorsk, and 13 others were injured across the broader region.
The Ukrainian air force reported that Russia launched 174 drones and two "Zircon" missiles from its Kursk region overnight. By 8:00 a.m., Ukrainian air defense forces had successfully shot down or neutralized 141 of these targets, though strikes were recorded at 15 different locations.
In response to the intense drone activity near its borders, Poland’s Armed Forces Operational Command activated air defense protocols and scrambled military aircraft. Polish authorities described the deployment as preventive in nature, aimed at securing and protecting Polish airspace, especially in regions adjacent to the threatened areas.
