Overnight Russian attacks across Ukraine kill 1, officials say

KYIV, Ukraine — Russia launched a barrage of drones and missiles at Ukraine overnight, killing one civilian and wounding more than 30 people in the center, south, and northeast, Ukrainian officials said Friday.

The Russian forces launched 92 drones and five missiles at 12 Ukrainian regions, the Ukrainian air force said.

Sixty-two drones and four missiles were downed, it said, and 26 drones were “lost,” most likely meaning they had been thwarted electronically.

The Interior Ministry said one person had been killed in the Odesa region, where civilian infrastructure and homes were damaged and nine people were injured.

Four people were wounded in a drone attack on the Kyiv region and at least six private houses and several cars were damaged, it said.

Russia also pounded the city of Kharkiv in the northeast with guided bombs, wounding at least 25 people, said regional governor Oleh Syniehubov.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy issued a fresh appeal to Kyiv’s partners to help strengthen its air defenses.

“Air defense, long-range capabilities, weapons packages, sanctions against the aggressor — this is the answer that is needed, not only in words, but also in actions,” he said on the Telegram messaging app.

Russia has intensified its air attacks on Ukrainian cities and towns, sending swarms of drones almost every night.

Ukrainian officials say Russia is trying to stretch Ukraine’s air defenses and demoralize the civilian population as the war nears the 1,000-day mark and Moscow’s troops advance in the east.

Russia launched more than 2,000 attack drones at civilian and military targets in October, Ukraine’s military said.  

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