Zelenskyy: Russia Launches Over 550 Drones in Massive Attack, Targets Energy Grid and Historic Lviv

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, said Russia launched one of the largest aerial assaults of the war, deploying more than 550 drones alongside missile strikes in a sustained attack that lasted from overnight into the following day.

Zelenskyy stated that the barrage included a significant number of Iranian-designed “Shahed” drones and targeted multiple regions across Ukraine. He noted that despite Ukrainian air defences intercepting more than 500 drones, several strikes still hit cities and civilian areas.

The Ukrainian president confirmed that people were killed in the attacks and that more than 40 others were injured, including five children. He added that all those wounded are receiving medical assistance.

Zelenskyy said the strikes affected a wide geographical area, including Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, as well as the Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, Kharkiv, and Dnipro regions, describing the scale of the assault as extensive.

He stressed that Russia continues to prioritise Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as a key target, in what he described as an ongoing effort to weaken the country’s power system. At the same time, he noted that residential areas and city centres were also struck.

Zelenskyy highlighted that Lviv’s historic centre sustained damage, with a fire breaking out at St. Andrew’s Church, a site dating back to the early 17th century. He also pointed out that a maternity hospital in Ivano-Frankivsk was damaged during the attacks.

According to Zelenskyy, the scale and persistence of the strikes demonstrate that Russia has no intention of ending the war. He warned that without increased international pressure and significant consequences for Moscow, there is little incentive for the Kremlin to move toward peace.

He added that Russia’s continued military actions, alongside its broader regional involvement, underline the need for stronger global measures to deter further escalation.

Zelenskyy concluded by expressing condolences to the families of those killed and reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to documenting all damage and holding those responsible accountable.