During the night, Ukraine once again became the target of a massive wave of attacks by the Russian military (archive image).Image: keystone
July 30, 2026, 04:19July 30, 2026, 07:26
During the night, Ukraine once again became the target of a massive wave of attacks by the Russian military, which even hit cities in the west of the country, far from the border. In order to overload the air defense, the attackers used dozens of rockets and cruise missiles as well as hundreds of drones, Ukrainian media reported this morning. Accordingly, an air alarm was triggered practically throughout the entire country. Initial reports said at least 8 dead and more than 30 injured.
The extent of the damage only slowly became clear at daybreak. According to reports from the Kyiv Independent and the Ukrinform news agency, the home of a large family was hit by a rocket in a suburb of the southern city of Kryvyi Rih. There alone there were six deaths, including two children aged five and twelve, and eight injured.
Two deaths and numerous injuries were reported in the capital Kiev and the Poltava region. In Lviv (formerly Lemberg) there were 15 injured, it said, citing authorities. The information could not be independently verified.
Fires broke out in two large apartment blocks in Lviv not far from the Polish border after rocket hits, the reports said. Photos showed huge holes gaping in the buildings – and rescue workers searching for survivors under rubble. According to reports, several buildings were also hit in Kiev, some by falling debris. Reporters spoke of several waves of explosions throughout the night.
Zelensky had warned in advance of attacks
The night-time wave of attacks did not come as a surprise: President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Wednesday of an imminent, serious air attack by Russia. Just a few days ago, the attackers massively shelled Ukraine again and the likelihood of another strike during the night is high, Zelensky wrote on social networks. He cited a situation report from the Ukrainian air force chief.
The Ukrainian armed forces complain that they lack anti-aircraft missiles to knock enemy missiles out of the sky – especially ballistic missiles, which are particularly difficult to counter because of their high speed. In his warning, Zelensky once again called on Western partners to help Ukraine. This particularly affects the USA and other countries that have modern Patriot systems – the only truly effective means against Russia’s ballistic missiles.
Strengthening Ukraine’s anti-aircraft defenses was also the topic of Zelensky’s recent visit to Washington. He said afterwards that US President Donald Trump had promised him the widely requested licenses to produce Patriot interceptor missiles in Ukraine – but this was not confirmed by the White House. Zelensky hopes to be able to increase production of the urgently needed defense missiles more quickly. Already in the spring he complained that the Ukrainians were running out of ammunition. The US war against Iran further reduced the global stockpile of defense missiles.
Russia confirms attacks
Conversely, the Ukrainian military is also targeting targets in Russia in order to carry the war further into the attacker’s country. The Russian Defense Ministry reported the downing of 258 Ukrainian drones this morning; The anti-aircraft defense was deployed in numerous regions of the country during the night.
The ministry also confirmed the attacks on Ukraine. The targets were military airports, defense factories, military telecommunications infrastructure and logistical centers. In addition, three cargo ships used to transport military goods were hit in the Black Sea region. (sda/dpa)