Russian air attacks on major Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Dnipro, and Kharkiv, killed at least five people and wounded dozens early Tuesday, authorities said. The assaults followed days of warnings that Moscow was planning a large-scale offensive.
In Dnipro, four people were killed and 16 injured, regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha reported. All hospitalized victims are in moderate condition, with images showing damaged residential buildings, burned vehicles, and a destroyed children's playground.
In Kyiv, one person was killed and 29 injured, according to military administration head Tymur Tkachenko. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported a suspected missile strike on a 24-story apartment building caused a collapse, with people likely trapped. Other structures, including a nine-story building, caught fire from debris. Thousands took shelter in metro stations.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated warnings of a major attack, urging residents to heed air raid alerts. Russia had previously warned of "systematic strikes" on Ukrainian military and decision-making targets in Kyiv, citing a drone attack on a dormitory in Russian-held Luhansk. Ukraine denied involvement.
In Kharkiv, 10 people, including a child, were injured in drone and missile attacks. The war, now in its fourth year since the 2022 invasion, continues with no end in sight.