Russia carried out what Ukrainian authorities described as “one of the most massive” drone attacks on the city of Zaporizhzhia overnight, as Moscow continues strikes on civilian and energy infrastructure nearly four years into the war.
At least nine Russian drones hit the city late Friday, damaging dozens of residential buildings and other civilian facilities, regional administration head Ivan Fedorov said in a post on Telegram. No casualties were reported.
Over 100 drones launched overnight
According to Ukraine Air Force, Russia launched 116 long-range drones across Ukraine overnight. Air defence units intercepted 86 drones, while 27 reached their targets.
The latest attack followed a heavy barrage on New Year’s Day, when Russia launched more than 200 drones. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the strikes were intended to “bring the war into the New Year”.
“The killings must be stopped. There can be no pauses in protecting human life,” Zelenskyy said, urging allies to speed up deliveries of air defence systems.
Diplomatic meetings planned
Zelenskyy also announced that a series of high-level meetings, including talks of the so-called “Coalition of the Willing”, will take place over the coming days to strengthen Ukraine’s defences and discuss security guarantees.
“On January 6, a leaders-level meeting will take place with European leaders and coalition partners,” he said, adding that Kyiv expects increased political and military support.
Russia–Ukraine accusations intensify
Meanwhile, tensions escalated further as Russia accused Ukraine of launching drones at a hotel and café in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine, killing 27 people. Kyiv rejected the allegations, calling them disinformation.
Ukrainian army spokesperson Dmytro Lykhoviy said Ukraine only targets military objectives and adheres to international humanitarian law.
Moscow has also claimed that Ukraine attempted a drone strike on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence, an allegation Kyiv has denied. The claim has been questioned by European and US officials, including EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who described it as a “deliberate distraction”.
US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said there was no independent confirmation of the alleged attack, while US media reported that the CIA assessed Ukraine did not target Putin’s residence.
As drone warfare intensifies, civilian areas across Ukraine continue to bear the brunt of overnight strikes, underscoring the urgency of diplomatic and military efforts to prevent further escalation.