Escalating Violence: Seven Lives Lost in Major Russian Strikes on Ukraine

Sat Apr 25 2026 22:01:57 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A recent barrage of Russian missiles has left seven dead in Ukraine, marking a significant escalation in attacks. Victims included five casualties from a residential strike in Dnipro as rescue efforts continue amid the turmoil.

In a devastating attack across multiple Ukrainian cities, seven individuals have lost their lives, with five deaths reported in Dnipro where an apartment building was struck. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the assault, affirming it lasted throughout the night. The UK responded by scrambling jets from Romania as part of the defense efforts. The drone barrage reflects ongoing strategies to target civilian infrastructure amidst the protracted conflict, raising calls for international support from Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia claims to have successfully intercepted over 120 drones during this attack.

At least seven people were killed in Russian strikes across Ukraine overnight, including five in the central city of Dnipro, where officials said an apartment building was hit.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the latest attack lasted 'practically all night', while rescue workers were still searching for survivors under rubble in Dnipro on Saturday morning.

British jets were scrambled from Romania during the heavy attack when Russian drones were detected near the border, though the UK Ministry of Defence rejected a report it had shot some down.

Meanwhile, Ukraine carried out some of its longest-distance drone strikes deep inside Russian territory.

In Yekaterinburg, almost 1,000 miles (1,600km) from Ukraine's border, the governor said six people were injured when a building was struck - while in nearby Chelyabinsk, a local leader said drones targeting an industrial facility were intercepted.

Russian missiles and drones also targeted the northern city of Chernihiv, where officials said two people were killed, as well as Odesa and Kharkiv.

Ukrainian authorities stated they repelled the vast majority of over 600 Russian drones, which marks the largest attack in several days.

Zelensky wrote on social media: 'The Russians' tactics have not changed: strike drones, cruise missiles, and a significant amount of ballistics. Most of the targets are ordinary infrastructure in cities. Residential buildings, energy, and enterprises have been damaged.'

Russia's Ministry of Defence said it had shot down 127 drones over more than a dozen regions. The department also stated it had taken control of Bochkove, a village in the Kharkiv region, on Saturday morning according to state-linked news agency Tass.

Ukrainian authorities have not commented on Russia's claim regarding Bochkove, nor has BBC News been able to independently verify it.

Elsewhere, Romania's defence ministry announced it was investigating 'the fall of an object' on its territory close to the Ukrainian border during the Russian attack, adding that UK jets did not enter Ukrainian airspace, and no drones were shot down by the aircraft because they did not breach Romanian airspace.

With peace talks at a standstill, Ukraine continues to seek international support for its military efforts. Recently, Zelensky met with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, focusing on enhancing air defense cooperation and joint military production.