Ukraine says over 70 injured amid large-scale Russian airstrike mainly targeting Kyiv

Ukraine said on Sunday that over 70 people were injured amid a large-scale Russian airstrike, which it said mainly targeted the country's capital Kyiv.

"In total, more than 70 people have been injured across Ukraine so far," Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said in a statement on Telegram regarding the overnight attack.

Indicating the overnight attack lasted for more than 12 hours, Klymenko said that over 1,500 rescuers and police officers were involved in eliminating the consequences of the attack across 11 regions, and more than 100 civilian objects were damaged.

In Kyiv, the head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, Tymur Tkachenko, said at least four people were killed and 13 others injured due to the attack, reporting damage to a number of residential and non-residential buildings in Kyiv’s various districts, including a cardiology institute.

Separately, Kyiv Governor Mykola Kalashnik said at least 30 people were injured, including three children, in the region surrounding the Ukrainian capital.

Elsewhere, at least 34 people were injured in Zaporizhzhia due to the overnight attack, according to Governor Ivan Fedorov.

Ukraine’s Air Force claimed that its air defenses shot down 568 out of 595 drones, as well as 43 out of 48 various types of missiles, launched by Russia during the overnight attack, which it said mainly targeted Kyiv.

“This vile attack came virtually as the close of UN General Assembly week, and this is exactly how Russia declares its true position. Moscow wants to keep fighting and killing, and it deserves the toughest pressure from the world,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement through the US social media company X in reaction to the attack.

“We will continue to strike back to deprive Russia of those revenue streams and to compel it toward diplomacy. Everyone who wants peace must back (US) President (Donald) Trump’s efforts and halt any Russian imports,” he said, adding that the Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, and Odesa regions were also affected.

Commenting on the attack, the Russian Defense Ministry said it targeted military-industrial complex facilities and military airfield infrastructure in Ukraine.

"The attack's objectives were achieved, and all designated targets were hit," it said.