Russian missile and drone strikes killed at least seven people across Ukraine overnight, including five in the central city of Dnipro, as attacks continued across multiple regions. Ukrainian officials said an apartment building in Dnipro was hit during the bombardment, while emergency workers spent Saturday morning searching for survivors trapped beneath rubble.
Get today's headlines by email 
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the assault lasted “practically all night”, describing a sustained wave of drones, cruise missiles and ballistic weapons aimed largely at civilian infrastructure.
Dnipro Hit in Overnight Assault
Regional authorities in Dnipro said five people died when a residential building was struck during the attack.
Emergency crews were deployed to the site to search for survivors and clear debris as daylight broke on Saturday.
Elsewhere, officials reported that two people were killed in the northern city of Chernihiv after Russian missiles and drones struck the area. Attacks were also reported in Odesa and Kharkiv.
Ukrainian air defences were activated across the country during the assault. Authorities said more than 600 Russian drones were launched overnight, describing it as one of the largest barrages in recent days.
According to Ukrainian officials, the majority of the drones were intercepted before reaching their targets.
Writing on social media, Zelensky said Russia’s approach to the war had remained unchanged.
“The Russians’ tactics have not changed: strike drones, cruise missiles, and a significant amount of ballistics,” he said, adding that many targets were “ordinary infrastructure in cities”, including residential buildings, energy facilities and businesses.
Long-Range Drone Strikes Inside Russia
While Russia carried out attacks across Ukraine, Ukrainian forces launched long-range drone strikes deep into Russian territory.
In Yekaterinburg, about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from the Ukrainian border, the regional governor said six people were injured after a building was struck.
In the neighbouring region of Chelyabinsk, a local official said drones targeting an industrial site had been intercepted.
Russia’s defence ministry said its air defence systems shot down 127 Ukrainian drones across more than a dozen regions.
The ministry also claimed Russian forces had captured the village of Bochkove in the Kharkiv region near Ukraine’s northern border. Ukrainian authorities have not commented on the claim, and it has not been independently verified.
Nato Aircraft Scrambled Near Border
During the overnight attack, British Typhoon fighter jets stationed in Romania were scrambled after Russian drones were detected approaching the area.
Romania’s defence ministry later said it was investigating the fall of an unidentified object on its territory near the Ukrainian border.
The ministry clarified earlier comments suggesting British aircraft had shot down drones, saying the jets did not enter Ukrainian airspace and did not engage any targets.
It said the drones never entered Romanian airspace.
A Nato official said the British aircraft had been authorised to engage if necessary but that no action was required because the threats were neutralised outside Romanian territory.
Ukraine Seeks Stronger International Support
The renewed wave of attacks comes as diplomatic efforts to end the war remain stalled.
Ukraine continues to seek international support for its military and defence capabilities.
On Friday, Zelensky met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for talks aimed at strengthening cooperation, including in air defence and military production.
According to officials, the discussions focused on expanding defence collaboration between Ukraine and Gulf partners, particularly as regional countries have shown growing interest in Ukraine’s drone warfare experience.
Join the discussion? 
Already a member? 
Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 26 April 2026
Recommended Comments
Create an account or sign in to comment