Listen To Story Above
In a devastating overnight assault, Russian forces launched a series of drone and missile attacks across Ukraine, resulting in at least five fatalities and numerous injuries. Officials reported that the most severe incident occurred in Poltava, where a missile strike on an apartment complex claimed four lives and left ten people wounded.
Russian Drone and Missile Strikes Kill at Least Five in Ukraine https://t.co/RBjP28vEDB
— Steve Ferguson (@lsferguson) February 1, 2025
Acting Governor Volodymyr Kohut confirmed that emergency responders successfully rescued 21 residents from the partially collapsed five-story structure. Search and rescue operations remain ongoing at the disaster site.
The wave of attacks also claimed the life of a 60-year-old woman in the Kharkiv region, where she was struck by debris from a downed drone, according to regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov’s social media update.
These attacks coincide with Russia’s ongoing military push to secure strategic positions in the Donetsk region, particularly around Pokrovsk and Chasiv Yar. Their forces are advancing through agricultural lands and wooded areas, gradually overtaking small rural communities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the attacks on social media Saturday, stating, “Last night, Russia launched an attack on our cities using various types of weapons: missiles, attack drones, and aerial bombs. Every such act of terror proves that we need greater support in defending against Russian terror. Every air defense system, every interceptor missile, means a life saved.”
Last night, Russia launched an attack on our cities using various types of weapons: missiles, attack drones, and aerial bombs. Another wave of terrorist crimes.
In Poltava, a residential building was hit, a section of the building was completely destroyed. Ten people were… pic.twitter.com/1FQAf4bfql
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 1, 2025
The conflict, approaching its third year, has exacted a heavy toll on Ukraine’s civilian population, with United Nations data indicating over 10,000 civilian casualties. The ongoing violence has forced mass evacuations along the 1,000-kilometer front line, where Ukrainian forces struggle to contain the larger Russian military.
Russian attacks on critical infrastructure have severely impacted civilian life, disrupting heating and water services. The recent missile strikes triggered emergency power outages across seven Ukrainian regions, including Poltava, according to state energy provider Ukrenergo.
Meanwhile, Russian territory also faced Ukrainian drone attacks, with Moscow’s Defense Ministry reporting the interception of nine drones across the Bryansk, Belgorod, and Saratov regions on Saturday morning.