Russian missiles and drones struck Kyiv and a dozen other Ukrainian regions overnight into Wednesday, Oct. 7, killing at least 21 civilians, including four children, and wounding around 60, Ukrainian officials said. The attack coincided with Russian President Vladimir Putin's 74th birthday.
Death tolls varied across reports as rescue work continued. NBC News reported at least 21 dead, while other outlets cited figures of 12, 19 and 24, likely reflecting different points in the overnight count. The toll in Pryluky also varied by report, from nine to 18.
The deadliest strike destroyed an apartment block in Pryluky, in the northern Chernihiv region. NBC News reported 15 dead, including four children, and about 50 wounded. One earlier report, citing Interior Minister Ihor Vyhivskyi, gave nine dead and 34 wounded, and a later one gave 18 dead. Zelenskyy said three of the children were 1 year old and the fourth was 8. Deaths were also reported in three other cities, including Kyiv. In Kremenchuk, in the Poltava region, two people were killed and seven injured, regional military administration head Vitalii Diakivnych said.
Zelenskyy had warned the previous day that Ukrainian intelligence believed Russia was preparing a "massive" strike. "The Russians wanted to strike painfully and demonstratively," he said on social media. Russia's Defense Ministry said it hit industrial facilities involved in producing and storing missiles and drones, as well as port and ship repair facilities in the Odesa region and ships carrying cargo for the Ukrainian military.
The attack showed Ukraine's difficulty countering Russian ballistic missiles and new jet-powered drones. Without ammunition for its U.S.-made Patriot systems, Ukraine cannot stop ballistic weapons, and it is developing interceptors fast enough to catch the drones. Zelenskyy said Ukraine is searching worldwide for Patriot missiles, which are in short supply because of the Iran war. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Russia was "pursuing a deliberate strategy of terror."
Ukraine said it struck back, targeting two oil facilities and a training ground in Russia's Perm, Samara and Astrakhan regions. Zelenskyy also posted images he said showed an oil tanker burning near Sochi; unconfirmed reports said Ukrainian sea drones attacked it. Russian officials did not immediately comment, and the images could not be independently verified.
The armies remain largely deadlocked more than 4½ years into the invasion. U.S.-led peace efforts appear unlikely to bring short-term relief, with low-level technical talks still under discussion.
