This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg7zy1jq7no

The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 6 Version 7
Russia launches 'massive' strikes days after Ukrainian drone attack Russia launches 'massive' strikes days after Ukrainian drone attack
(about 4 hours later)
Russia launches drone and missile attack on KyivRussia launches drone and missile attack on Kyiv
Russia launched large-scale drone and missile strikes on Ukraine's capital and other parts of the country early on Friday, officials have said. Russia launched a "massive" drone and missile strike on Ukraine's capital and other areas early on Friday, days after Ukraine's surprise attack on its air bases.
At least three people were killed and 49 injured in the strikes, according to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. Five people were killed and 80 injured, Ukrainian officials said, with cruise missiles and hundreds of drones launched.
The aerial raids targeted the capital, Kyiv, as well as the city of Lutsk and the Ternopil region in the north-west of the country. Strikes targeted the capital Kyiv, and the northern city of Chernihiv, as well as Lutsk and Ternopil in the north-west.
Russia's defence ministry said the strikes were in response to "terrorist acts by the Kyiv regime", adding that it had targeted military sites. Russia said the strikes were in response to "terrorist acts by the Kyiv regime", saying military sites were targeted.
It said its armed forces "overnight launched a massive strike with high-precision long-range air, sea and ground-based weapons, as well as attack drones". Moscow also reported downing 174 Ukrainian drones over parts of Russia and occupied Crimea. Neptune anti-ship cruise missiles, it said, were intercepted over the Black Sea.
The attack came after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned US President Donald Trump he would respond to Ukraine's recent strikes on Russian airbases.
Russia's latest attack on Ukraine comes days after Kyiv launched its largest long-range drone strike on at least 40 Russian warplanes at four military bases. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Zelensky said 117 drones were used in the so-called Spider's Web operation by the SBU security service, striking "34% of [Russia's] strategic cruise missile carriers". Russia's defence ministry said its armed forces had "launched a massive strike with high-precision long-range air, sea and ground-based weapons, as well as attack drones" on Thursday night.
Authorities say Friday's attacks included 38 cruise missiles, which is the kind Ukraine targeted in Sunday's operation. The attack came after Putin warned US President Donald Trump he would respond to Ukraine's recent strikes in several Russian regions.
Zelensky said that three deaths had been confirmed in the strikes - all employees of Ukraine's state emergency services. Late on Friday, Trump told reporters that the Ukrainians had given "Putin a reason to go in and bomb the hell out of them last night".
He said the attack used more than 400 drones and more than 40 missiles, and the number of people injured "may increase" in a post on X. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the war in Ukraine as "existential" for Russia, saying it was an "issue of our national interests, an issue of our security".
The Ukrainian leader added that "now is exactly the moment when America, Europe, and everyone around the world can stop this war together by pressuring Russia" Moscow blamed Ukraine for three bomb attacks on railways in Russia's western Bryansk and Kursk regions which reportedly killed seven people and injured more than 100 last weekend. Kyiv has not commented on those attacks.
He also made a thinly veiled reference to Trump's apparent unwillingness to put pressure on Russia. Ukraine did say however that it had carried out its largest long-range drone strikes on at least 40 Russian warplanes at four military bases deep inside Russia last Sunday.
"If someone is not applying pressure and is giving the war more time to take lives – that is complicity and accountability," Zelensky wrote. "We must act decisively." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said 117 drones had been used in Operation Spider's Web by the SBU security service , striking "34% of [Russia's] strategic cruise missile carriers".
Ukrainian officials say Russia's latest aerial assault included 38 cruise missiles, the kind Ukraine targeted on Sunday.
Ukraine's state emergencies service DSNS said the three people killed in Kyiv had all been its employees.
One person was killed in Lutsk, and the body of another victim was pulled from the wreckage in Chernihiv late on Friday.
Zelensky said the Russian attack had used more than 400 drones.
"Now is exactly the moment when America, Europe, and everyone around the world can stop this war together by pressuring Russia," he added.
In a thinly veiled reference to Trump's apparent unwillingness to put pressure on Russia, he added: "If someone is not applying pressure and is giving the war more time to take lives – that is complicity and accountability."
The attack used drones and missiles like those targeted by Ukraine in Sunday's operationThe attack used drones and missiles like those targeted by Ukraine in Sunday's operation
In an earlier statement, Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said four people had been killed in the country's capital. Air raid alerts were in place in Kyiv, where a residential building was hit, and the city's metro system was disrupted after shelling damaged tracks.
Air raid alerts were in place in Kyiv, where a residential building was hit, and the city's train system was disrupted after shelling damaged metro tracks.
Tens of thousands of civilians in the capital spent a restless few hours in underground shelters.Tens of thousands of civilians in the capital spent a restless few hours in underground shelters.
From the centre of the city, prolonged bursts of machine gun fire could be heard as air defences on the outskirts attempted to bring down scores of drones aimed at the capital.From the centre of the city, prolonged bursts of machine gun fire could be heard as air defences on the outskirts attempted to bring down scores of drones aimed at the capital.
From time to time, the distinctive buzz of drones overhead could also be heard.From time to time, the distinctive buzz of drones overhead could also be heard.
Bright flashes of light, sometimes reflected on nearby buildings, would be followed, five or 10 seconds later, by thunderous explosions.Bright flashes of light, sometimes reflected on nearby buildings, would be followed, five or 10 seconds later, by thunderous explosions.
Zelensky said the three confirmed deaths were all employees of the emergency services In Ternopil, military chief Vyacheslav Negoda said Friday's strike had been the "most massive air attack on our region to date", injuring five people and damaging homes and schools.
The cities of Kharkiv and Sumy were also under air raid alerts. Ukraine said the three confirmed victims in Kyiv were all employees of the state emergency service DSNS
Elsewhere, Ternopil's military chief Vyacheslav Negoda said Friday's strike was the "most massive air attack on our region to date". Earlier this month, the second round of direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine took place in Istanbul, but ended without a major breakthrough.
The Mayor of Ternopil, Igor Polishchuk, said five people were wounded in the attack while homes, schools and a government facility had been damaged. Ukrainian negotiators said Russia had rejected an unconditional ceasefire - a key demand of Kyiv and its Western allies, including the US.
In Lutsk, five people were injured in an attack using 15 drones and six missiles, according to Mayor Ihor Polishchuk.
Meanwhile, the Russian defence ministry said its air defences shot down 174 Ukrainian drones overnight in parts of Russia and occupied Crimea.
The ministry said Neptune anti-ship cruise missiles were also intercepted over the Black Sea.
Thunderous explosions rang out in the Ukrainian capital as missiles hit
Earlier this month, direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine took place in Istanbul, but ended without a major breakthrough.
Ukrainian negotiators said Russia rejected an "unconditional ceasefire" - a key demand of Kyiv and its Western allies, including the US.
The Russian team said they had proposed a two- or three-day truce "in certain areas" of the vast front line, but gave no further details.The Russian team said they had proposed a two- or three-day truce "in certain areas" of the vast front line, but gave no further details.
Trump said Putin vowed to "very strongly" respond to Ukraine's recent attack on Russian airbases, during a phone call that lasted more than an hour on Wednesday. Last week, Trump appeared to set a two-week deadline for Putin, threatening to change how the US was responding to Russia if he believed Putin was still "tapping" him along on peace efforts in Ukraine.
Moscow had previously said that military options were "on the table" for its response to Ukraine's attack. The US president has so far not acted on his threat.
Last week, Trump appeared to set a two-week deadline for Putin, threatening to change how the US is responding to Russia if he believed Putin was still "tapping" him along on peace efforts in Ukraine.