NEW DELHI: Russia carried out one of its largest combined missile and drone attacks in recent months, striking multiple cities across Ukraine overnight and killing at least nine people, Ukrainian officials reported on Tuesday.

The coordinated assault involved hundreds of aerial weapons, with Ukrainian air force reporting dozens of missiles and large waves of drones targeting civilian and strategic infrastructure across the country. Air raid sirens sounded nationwide as residents took shelter underground during hours of continuous explosions.

In the capital Kyiv, multiple residential districts were hit, triggering fires and structural damage to apartment buildings. At least three people were killed in the city, while emergency crews worked through the night rescuing survivors from damaged structures.

The eastern city of Dnipro also suffered severe impact, where several residential buildings were struck. Local authorities confirmed multiple deaths and injuries, with rescue operations continuing amid debris and collapsed structures.

In Kharkiv, explosions damaged homes and infrastructure, adding to casualties and further straining emergency response teams already deployed across multiple regions.

Ukrainian air defense systems intercepted a significant portion of incoming missiles and drones, but several still penetrated defenses, causing destruction in at least dozens of locations nationwide.

The attack marks a further escalation in long-range aerial warfare between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides increasingly relying on drone and missile strikes targeting energy, military, and civilian infrastructure. Officials in Kyiv have renewed calls for additional air defense support from international allies.

The situation remains highly volatile, with ongoing assessments expected as rescue operations continue across affected cities.