Devastating Russian Aerial Attack Claims Lives in Ukraine

Wed Oct 22 2025 11:50:22 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A fierce overnight missile and drone assault by Russian forces has left three dead and over 30 injured in Ukraine, prompting widespread condemnation and escalating tensions between the two nations.

In a severe escalation of hostilities, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that at least three individuals were killed and over 30 injured in a 'massive' aerial attack by Russia. This incident, characterized by a barrage of 619 drones and missiles targeting various regions including residential buildings, marks a significant intensification in the ongoing conflict. In response, Russia claimed a Ukrainian drone attack resulted in fatalities within its borders.

At least three people have been killed and more than 30 injured in a 'massive' overnight Russian aerial attack on Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky says.

He indicates regions across the country were targeted as part of a 'deliberate strategy' to 'intimidate civilians and destroy our infrastructure', with one direct missile hit reported on a residential building.

Ukraine's air force states that Moscow launched 619 drones and missiles. Conversely, Russia's defense ministry claims its 'massive strike' employed 'precision weapons' aimed at military-industrial facilities.

In a separate development, Russia reported four casualties from a Ukrainian drone strike in the Saratov region, which Kyiv asserts hit a significant oil refinery.

Ukraine also reports damage to another Russian refinery in the neighboring Samara region.

The BBC has not been able to independently verify the accounts from both sides involved in the conflict.

Cross-border drone assaults have become a prominent element of this war. Notably, a sustained Ukrainian drone attack forced the temporary suspension of all of Moscow's airports in July.

Kyiv has systematically targeted Russian oil and other essential industrial operations that are vital to Russia's ongoing military efforts in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Moscow has escalated its aerial bombings on Ukraine in recent weeks. Kyiv and its Western allies, including the US, are persistently advocating for a ceasefire.

Earlier this month, a Russian Iskander cruise missile reportedly struck the main government building in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv.

Zelensky also announced his plan to meet US President Donald Trump during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session next week in New York.

Trump previously hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last month, seeking a resolution to the conflict, although no agreement was reached.

Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.

The latest aerial assault coincides with Estonia's urgent request for discussions with NATO members after Russian jets reportedly violated its airspace for 12 minutes before being intercepted, a claim that Russia denies.

Tensions have notably heightened recently, following claims from Poland and Romania—both NATO allies—regarding breaches of their airspace by Russian drones earlier this month.