At least 18 people were killed and more than 100 injured in massive Russian attacks in Ukraine overnight.
April 16, 2026, 06:32April 16, 2026, 12:57 p.m
Another night proved that Russia does not deserve a relaxation of global politics or the lifting of sanctions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj wrote on social media. During a trip to Europe, he had previously received new promises of military aid from Western states and thanked them for it.
A Russian attack caused serious damage in Kyiv.Image: keystone
Russia, however, criticizes the Western arms deliveries as an escalation in the war that Moscow has been waging for more than four years. The military leadership in Moscow once again hit Ukraine with heavy air strikes in response to the arms aid that became known this week.
Russia attacked several regions of the neighboring country in waves. Zelenskyj, citing the Air Force, spoke of almost 700 drones as well as rockets and cruise missiles that Russia had used since the previous day. Most of the ballistic missiles were aimed at the capital Kyiv.
Zelenskyj called for pressure on the attacker Russia. At the same time, he once again demanded that every promise to support Ukraine be fulfilled in a timely manner.
EU Council President António Costa expressed his condolences to the wounded and the families of the victims of the “monstrous attacks”. “Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has failed, and that is why it is now deliberately resorting to terrorizing the civilian population,” he wrote on the X platform. “Russia must end this war of terror.” The EU will continue to increase pressure on Russia, said the Portuguese. “And we will maintain our steadfast support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russian aggression.”
Nine dead in the port city of Odessa alone
At least nine people were killed in the port city of Odessa on the Black Sea, Governor Oleh Kiper announced. 23 other people were injured. Russia attacked in several waves with missiles and drones. Among other things, critical infrastructure, the port and residential buildings were damaged.
Four people were killed in the capital Kiev, including a 12-year-old boy, the city prosecutor’s office said. There were therefore at least 54 injured. Apartment buildings, private homes, a hotel, an office complex, a car dealership, a gas station and a shopping center were damaged.
In the eastern Ukrainian region of Dnipropetrovsk, four people were killed and 34 were injured in Russian attacks with drones, artillery and rockets, according to Governor Olexander Hanscha. Russia used drones, artillery and rockets. In the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv, Governor Oleh Synyehubow reported one death and six injuries in the city of Merefa from drone fire.
Deaths in Russia too
In the Russian region of Krasnodar on the Black Sea, Governor Veniamin Kondratiev spoke of two dead, including a 14-year-old, and seven injured after Ukrainian drone attacks. A state of emergency has been declared in the Tuapse district. Drone debris damaged residential buildings, two educational institutions and a music school. Debris also fell on the site of a factory in the port area. In Novorossiyk, a fire was caused by drone debris on a civilian ship, but was quickly extinguished, Kondratiev wrote.
On the Black Sea, Novorossiysk and Tuapse are the most important ports for Russian oil exports. There is also a large refinery in Tuapse.
The Defense Ministry in Moscow said that more than 200 Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian targets had been repelled. The ministry described its own attacks on Ukraine as a response to the “terrorist attacks” in Kiev. However, Russia started the war, and Ukraine is defending itself with counterattacks.
The Russian ministry also claimed to have targeted a Ukrainian container terminal, tank technology depots and underground robotics testing complexes with its new missile and drone strikes. The information cannot be independently verified.
No peace in sight
The day before, Kiev’s supporting states had pledged their continued existence at a meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group in Berlin. Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) and Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov also personally took part in the meeting of the so-called Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG). Ukraine can rely on Germany, assured Pistorius. Great Britain promised to supply Ukraine with 120,000 drones to fight Russia.
The Moscow Defense Ministry responded with sharp criticism of Europe and published the addresses of defense companies there. (dab/sda/dpa)