Kyiv: Russia launched a massive wave of drone attacks across Ukraine after the expiry of a temporary three-day cease-fire, with Ukrainian officials reporting civilian deaths, injuries and widespread infrastructure damage in multiple regions.

According to Ukrainian authorities, Russia deployed more than 200 drones overnight in one of the largest aerial assaults in recent weeks. The attacks targeted several parts of the country, including Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, Zhytomyr and Mykolaiv regions.

Officials in the Dnipropetrovsk region said at least six people were killed following drone and aerial bomb strikes. In Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a drone strike killed two people and seriously injured a nine-month-old baby girl.

Ukrainian emergency services said residential buildings, energy facilities, railway infrastructure and civilian areas were damaged during the attacks, while fires broke out in several locations after falling drone debris.

Ceasefire Ends Amid Renewed Escalation

The strikes came shortly after the end of a US-mediated three-day ceasefire linked to Russia’s Victory Day commemorations. Both Moscow and Kyiv had accused each other of violating the truce during the pause in fighting.

President Zelenskyy accused Russia of deliberately escalating the conflict and called for stronger international pressure and sanctions against Moscow.

Ukraine Responds with Strikes Inside Russia

Following the renewed Russian attacks, Ukraine reportedly carried out drone strikes targeting Russian energy and industrial infrastructure, including oil and gas facilities. Russian authorities claimed they intercepted hundreds of Ukrainian drones overnight.

The latest escalation has raised fresh concerns over the worsening humanitarian and security situation as the Russia-Ukraine war continues into another year.