Russian missiles and drones bombard Ukraine in hourslong attack, killing at least 16

Russia hammered civilian areas of Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles successful an onslaught that stretched for hours from daytime into the night, sidesplitting astatine slightest 16 radical and injuring much than 80 others arsenic terrified residents cowered successful their homes, officials said Thursday.

Russia launched astir 700 drones and dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles, chiefly targeting civilians, successful its biggest aerial barrage successful astir 2 weeks, authorities said.

Tetiana Sokol, a 54-year-old nonmigratory of Kyiv, said 2 missiles deed adjacent her location and she took screen with her canine successful the hallway arsenic flashes lit up the nighttime and windows shattered from the blast wave.

"On the 3rd onslaught everything broke, everything flew, we were shocked, we didn’t cognize wherever to run. I grabbed immoderate came to manus and ran distant with the dog," she told The Associated Press. "I inactive can’t find the cats successful the house, they climbed retired somewhere, I don’t adjacent know. No windows, nothing, the canine is inactive walking astir successful stress."

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Firefighters enactment to extinguish a occurrence successful Kyiv aft a Russian onslaught connected April 16, 2026. Russia launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles astatine civilian areas crossed Ukraine, sidesplitting astatine slightest 16 radical and injuring much than 80, officials said. (Serhii Okunev / AFP via Getty Images)

Moscow's forces person deed civilian areas astir regular since its all-out penetration of its neighbour much than 4 years ago, with the regular assaults occasionally punctuated by monolithic attacks. More than 15,000 Ukrainian civilians person died successful the strikes, the United Nations says.

Zelenskyy connected a ngo to amended aerial defenses

The latest bombardment came successful the aftermath of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's 48-hour travel this week to Germany, Norway and Italy successful an urgent hunt for much aerial defence systems that tin halt Russian missiles.

Ukraine has developed a important home arms industry, particularly successful the accumulation of drones and missiles, but it can’t yet lucifer the sophistication of U.S. Patriot aerial defence systems. Ukraine’s apical diplomatic precedence is securing allies’ assistance to bargain and physique much and amended aerial defenses, Zelenskyy said this week.

Cash-strapped Ukraine besides needs the speedy disbursement of a promised indebtedness from the European Union of 90 cardinal euros ($106 billion) that has been blocked by Hungary.

Ukraine fears the Iran warfare is burning done stockpiles of the precocious American-made systems it needs, and has argued against a U.S. impermanent waiver connected Russian lipid sanctions that Kyiv says is helping concern the Kremlin's warfare effort.

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A pistillate walks her canine done the rubble of a location damaged successful a Russian onslaught connected Kyiv, Ukraine, connected April 16, 2026. Officials said Russian forces fired astir 700 drones and aggregate missiles successful a sweeping onslaught connected Ukrainian civilians that lasted from time into night. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

"Another nighttime has proven that Russia does not merit immoderate easing of planetary argumentation oregon lifting of sanctions," Zelenskyy said connected X.

He thanked Germany, Norway and Italy for caller agreements this week connected supporting Ukraine's aerial defense. Officials are besides moving with the Netherlands connected further supplies, helium said.

At the aforesaid time, helium noted that immoderate spouse countries haven't followed done connected pledges of subject support.

"I person instructed the Commander of the Air Force to interaction those partners who earlier committed to providing missiles for Patriot and different systems," Zelenskyy said.

Other areas of Ukraine and Russia were besides hit

The bombardment was the biggest successful weeks. Last month, Russia fired 948 drones and 34 missiles successful the abstraction of 24 hours successful the largest battle of the warfare connected civilian areas.

At slightest 4 radical were killed overnight successful Kyiv, including a 12-year-old, with much than 50 others injured, according to authorities. Officials said the onslaught damaged 17 flat buildings, 10 backstage homes, arsenic good arsenic a hotel, bureau center, car dealership, state presumption and a buying promenade successful the capital.

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Firefighters enactment astatine a gathering damaged successful an overnight onslaught by Russia successful Kyiv, Ukraine, connected April 16, 2026. Ukrainian officials said Russia’s hourslong aerial battle deed Kyiv, Odesa, the Dnipro portion and Zaporizhzhia, damaging homes and different civilian sites. (Genya SAVILOV / AFP via Getty Images)

Nine radical were killed and 23 injured successful the confederate larboard metropolis of Odesa, 3 women were killed and astir 3 twelve injured successful the cardinal Dnipro region, and 1 idiosyncratic was killed successful Zaporizhzhia successful the south.

"Such attacks cannot beryllium normalized. These are warfare crimes that indispensable beryllium stopped and their perpetrators held to account," Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said connected X.

Ukraine’s aerial unit said aerial defenses changeable down oregon disabled 667 retired of 703 incoming targets, including 636 Shahed-type drones and different uncrewed aerial vehicles.

It said 20 onslaught drones and 12 missiles deed 26 locations.

Meanwhile, successful Russia, Krasnodar determination Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev reported that a 14-year-old miss and a pistillate were killed successful Ukrainian strikes successful the Black Sea larboard of Tuapse.

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He said that attacks damaged six flat buildings, 24 backstage houses and 3 schools. Drone fragments besides fell adjacent the larboard of Tuapse.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said that its aerial defenses downed 207 Ukrainian drones overnight.