Russia launched a major air assault across Ukraine using missiles and drones, killing at least eight people, including girls aged 5 and 12, and injuring dozens more. Meanwhile, Poland, a NATO member, sent fighter jets to patrol its airspace to protect against threats near the border.
The Russian military conducted long-range missile and drone attacks on multiple areas across Ukraine in the early hours of 30 Jul 2024 GMT+7, resulting in at least eight deaths and many injuries.
Air raid sirens sounded across nearly all regions of Ukraine, with multiple explosions in Kyiv causing fires in several buildings and areas. Kyiv authorities confirmed one death and at least two injuries, while the city's eastern district reported five more injuries.
The heaviest losses occurred in Kryvyi Rih, President Volodymyr Zelensky's hometown, when an Iskander-M short-range missile struck a family's home. Officials reported six deaths, including girls aged 5 and 12, with at least eight injured. They warned death tolls may rise as rescue teams continue searching for people trapped under debris.
In Lviv, western Ukraine near the Polish border, Russian missiles damaged at least two residential buildings, injuring at least 15 people. Rescue teams were searching for survivors under the rubble. In the eastern Poltava region, one person died after a drone attacked a warehouse.
The Polish military announced deployment of fighter jets and early warning aircraft, while enhancing air defense systems and radar readiness to protect national airspace amid Russian attacks near the border.
Poland stated these measures are proactive defenses to address risks of attacks potentially spreading into the airspace of NATO member states.
Prior to the attacks, President Zelensky warned that Russia was preparing a major assault and urged Western allies to accelerate provision of additional missile defense systems. He stressed that Ukrainian security depends on allies' readiness to supply air defense weapons, especially Patriot missile interceptors, which Ukraine severely lacks.
Earlier, Zelensky visited the United States and revealed discussions with President Donald Trump, who agreed in principle to allow Ukraine to produce Patriot missile interceptors domestically.
Meanwhile, Russian authorities disclosed that Ukrainian drones attacked a warehouse of major online retailer Wildberries in Penza, western Russia, causing a fire, injuring one person, and prompting evacuation of about 200 residents.
Wildberries stated it has rerouted product shipments to mitigate impacts after several warehouses were repeatedly targeted. The damage affected tens of thousands of small business operators using the platform for their operations.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has continued since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022. Both sides deny targeting civilians.
However, the United Nations reported last month saw the highest civilian death toll in Ukraine since April 2022, reflecting escalating missile and drone attacks despite ongoing peace negotiation efforts.