Russian forces attacked Ukraine overnight with a total of 367 drones and missiles, killing 12 people and injuring dozens in the largest Russian airstrike since the war began, Reuters reported. Three children were among the dead in strikes in the Zhytomyr region, BTA reported.
The Ukrainian military said Russia had attacked with 298 drones and 69 missiles. Air defense forces intercepted 45 of the missiles and 266 of the drones.
Meanwhile, the Russian Air Force said it had intercepted 110 Ukrainian drones overnight, 13 of which were destroyed over Moscow and Tver regions, Reuters added.
Although this was not the deadliest Russian attack on Ukraine, the attack was the largest in terms of the amount of weapons used.
Ukrainian Interior Minister Igor Klimenko said that according to the latest data, the number of dead had reached 12 and about 60 were injured. "This was a combined, merciless strike aimed at civilians. "The enemy has once again shown that its goal is to sow fear and death," Klimenko wrote on Telegram.
Russia launched the large-scale attack on Ukraine at a time when the two sides are preparing to continue the largest exchange of prisoners of war since the beginning of the war. Moscow and Kiev agreed this week to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war. Each side released 307 people yesterday, and the first 390 prisoners of war were released on Friday.