Russia strikes Ukraine in biggest air attack since the start of invasion
More than a hundred Russian missiles and dozens of drones have bombarded Ukraine in what has been described as the biggest aerial barrage of the war so far. ITV News' Cari Davies reports
Russia has launched the biggest air attack on Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian military told CNN, with an unprecedented number of drones and missiles fired at targets across the country.
The wave of attacks, which began overnight into Friday and struck nationwide, killed at least 30 people and injured 144 others.
Blasts were reported in the capital Kyiv, as well as at a maternity hospital in the central city of Dnipro, the eastern city of Kharkiv, the southeastern port of Odesa, and the western city of Lviv, far from the frontlines.
On Saturday, Russia accused Ukraine of its own retaliatory attack, with the Kremlin saying it successfully shot down 32 drones. Ukraine, as it has done throughout the war, has not taken responsibility for the attack over Russian territory.
Russia used 158 drones and missiles, including hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, cruise missiles and Shahed drones, to strike targets in Kyiv, the east, south and west of the country, Ukraine's air force said.
"It's been a long time since we have seen so many enemy targets on our monitors in all regions and all directions," Yurii Ihnat, a spokesperson for Ukraine's air force, told national television on Friday.
"Everything was being fired," he added.
"Today the enemy has struck a powerful blow. There are downed targets, however unfortunately there are also casualties," Mr Ihnat added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia used "nearly every type of weapon in its arsenal" in the "terrorist strikes".
"The crimes that Russia has committed in Ukraine today are its revenge for its inability to turn the tide of the battle in the fight against the Ukrainian defence forces," he said in a statement.
Without referring directly to Friday's attacks, the Russian Defence Ministry said its army had "carried out 50 group strikes and one mass strike with high-precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles" in the period from December 23 to 29, claiming it had only struck military targets.
Residents said they were woken by the attacks.
"It was very loud, the house was shaking, it was very scary," said Viktoria Krasyuk.
"It seems like you've been living in this for many months, but it still causes emotions, it's still very difficult, it's very hard to decide whether to stay or go somewhere, or even leave [the country]."
A man named Sehiy said the attack was a reminder that Russia's "goal is the same - to destroy Ukraine as a state".
The massive overnight assault comes shortly after Ukraine received the last package of military aid from the United States until Congress approves the Biden administration's funding request.
Nearly two years since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, President Zelenskyy is facing a largely-stalled counteroffensive while Western aid has begun to dry up.
On Friday, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the attacks show that President Putin "will stop at nothing to achieve his aim of eradicating freedom and democracy".
"We will not let him win," Mr Sunak wrote on X. "We must continue to stand with Ukraine - for as long as it takes."