Seven people, including two young children, were killed in a series of Russian missile and drone strikes across Ukraine, according to Ukrainian officials.
President Volodymyr Zelensky had warned on Wednesday that Russia was preparing for a "massive attack" and urged citizens to adhere to air raid alerts. In the early hours of Thursday, the Ukrainian military confirmed multiple strikes.
The attacks followed a recent meeting between President Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington D.C., where Zelensky sought a U.S. license for Ukraine to produce Patriot interceptor missiles.
Near the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, a ballistic missile struck a private home, killing six people, including two girls aged 5 and 12. Local officials reported that eight others were injured in the incident, with the casualty count potentially rising.
In the capital, Kyiv, one person died and fires broke out in three non-residential buildings overnight, according to Kyiv's mayor, Vitali Klitschko. Explosions were also reported in Lviv, where residential buildings sustained damage, stated the city's mayor, Andriy Sadovyi.