A girl with a canine walks among the many rubble of a home broken after a Russian strike on residential space in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Thursday, April 16, 2026.
Evgeniy Maloletka/AP
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Evgeniy Maloletka/AP
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia hammered civilian areas of Ukraine with a whole bunch of drones and dozens of missiles in an assault that stretched for hours from daytime into the night time, killing at the very least 16 individuals and injuring greater than 80 others in its greatest aerial barrage in virtually two weeks, officers stated Thursday.
Russia launched practically 700 drones and dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles, primarily focusing on civilians, authorities stated. Moscow’s forces have hit civilian areas virtually day by day since its all-out invasion of its neighbor greater than 4 years in the past, with the common assaults often punctuated by large assaults. Greater than 15,000 Ukrainian civilians have died within the strikes, the United Nations says.
The most recent bombardment got here within the wake of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s 48-hour journey this week to Germany, Norway and Italy in an pressing seek for extra air protection programs that may cease Russian missiles. Ukraine fears the Iran warfare is burning by means of stockpiles of the superior American-made programs it wants, and has argued in opposition to a U.S. short-term waiver on Russian oil sanctions that Kyiv says helps finance the Kremlin’s warfare effort.
“Another night has proven that Russia does not deserve any easing of global policy or lifting of sanctions,” Zelenskyy stated on X.
He thanked Germany, Norway and Italy for brand new agreements this week on supporting Ukraine’s air protection. Officers are additionally working with the Netherlands on extra provides, he stated.
On the similar time, he famous that some companion nations have not adopted by means of on pledges of navy assist.
“I have instructed the Commander of the Air Force to contact those partners who earlier committed to providing missiles for Patriot and other systems,” Zelenskyy stated.
At the least 4 individuals had been killed in Kyiv, together with a 12-year-old, with greater than 50 others injured, in keeping with authorities.
Tetiana Sokol, a 54-year-old resident of Kyiv, stated two missiles hit close to her house and he or she took cowl along with her canine within the hallway as flashes lit up the night time and home windows shattered from the blast wave.
“On the third attack everything broke, everything flew, we were shocked, we didn’t know where to run. I grabbed whatever came to hand and ran away with the dog,” she advised The Related Press. “I still can’t find the cats in the house, they climbed out somewhere, I don’t even know. No windows, nothing, the dog is still walking around in stress.”
9 individuals had been killed and 23 injured within the southern port metropolis of Odesa, three had been killed and round three dozen injured within the central Dnipro area, and one individual was killed in Zaporizhzhia within the south.
“Such attacks cannot be normalized. These are war crimes that must be stopped and their perpetrators held to account,” Ukraine’s International Minister Andrii Sybiha stated on X.
Ukraine’s air power stated air defenses shot down or disabled 667 out of 703 incoming targets, together with 636 Shahed-type drones and different uncrewed aerial automobiles.
It stated 20 strike drones and 12 missiles hit 26 places.
