Russia conducted a large-scale attack on Ukraine with more than 800 drones on Wednesday, killing at least nine people in what marked another deadly barrage following a previous strike hours earlier. The assault came as both nations continued exchanging long-range attacks after a brief ceasefire, with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy reporting the ongoing assault from Romania where he was visiting.
Ukrainian air defense monitors detected at least eight separate waves of Russian drones entering the country, including some coming from Belarus. The strikes targeted critical infrastructure across multiple regions. Zelenskyy wrote on social media that the attack was still ongoing, with additional drones continuing to enter Ukrainian airspace. Moscow focused particular attention on western regions closest to NATO borders, he added.
The previous day's attacks had struck residential areas, railway infrastructure in central Dnipro and northeastern Kharkiv regions, port facilities in southern Odesa, and energy infrastructure in central Poltava. Fourteen regions came under attack on Tuesday alone, according to Zelenskyy. Russia's defense ministry claimed it had intercepted and destroyed 286 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory, Crimea, and surrounding waters.
Hungary's foreign minister condemned the strikes on ethnic Hungarian regions in western Ukraine, stating the matter would be addressed at a cabinet meeting. Slovakia announced it would temporarily close its border crossings with Ukraine for security reasons.
The escalation comes amid shifting military momentum in the conflict. Ukraine has moved from requesting international defense support to offering other nations expertise in countering attacks, leveraging domestically developed drone technology. Ukrainian long-range strikes have disrupted energy and manufacturing facilities inside Russia, with three Russian regions reporting strikes on Wednesday.
Along the 780-mile frontline, Russia's military advance has slowed each month since October, according to the Institute for the Study of War. Moscow's spring offensive has stalled, and the Russian army recorded a net loss of territory last month for the first time since 2024. The thinktank noted that "Ukrainian defensive lines are holding, and Ukrainian forces have managed to contest the tactical initiative in several areas even as Russia continues to lose disproportionate amounts of manpower to achieve minimal gains."
This latest assault comes despite US President Donald Trump's recent claims that the war could end soon. Trump told reporters the conclusion was "getting very close" but offered scant detail supporting his assertion. Putin made similar suggestions in a weekend speech about the invasion potentially ending.
The attacks also followed court proceedings involving Andriy Yermak, a top aide to Zelenskyy and longtime presidential confidant. Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies named Yermak as a suspect in an alleged money-laundering scheme connected to a 10.5 million dollar luxury construction project. His lawyer described the allegations as baseless.