### Devastating Missile and Drone Attacks Claim Lives Across Ukraine

At least six people lost their lives in a series of Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, with powerful explosions shaking the nation, according to officials. These overnight assaults came after a stern warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin, communicated through United States President Donald Trump, following Ukrainian drone strikes that destroyed several strategic bombers deep inside Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that three emergency responders were killed in the capital, Kyiv, while addressing citizens via his nightly video message on Friday. He added that two people died in Chernihiv and one in Lutsk due to the same assaults. "Those killed in Kyiv were rescue workers who arrived at the scene of an initial strike and, unfortunately, were killed in a repeat Russian strike," Zelenskyy explained.

Reports from Kyiv described chaotic scenes where multiple explosions triggered fires across various districts. Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Administration, confirmed that air defense systems tried intercepting the incoming attacks but could not prevent some from causing damage.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated on social media that Russia retaliated for its destroyed aircraft by targeting civilians and destroying multi-storey buildings and energy infrastructure. Ukraine’s human rights chief, Dmytro Lubinets, urged the international community to take concrete actions, condemning Russia’s tactics as violations of fundamental human rights.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence, however, claimed their strikes were aimed at military and related targets in retaliation for Ukraine's so-called "terrorist acts."

The impact of these attacks was widespread, affecting at least six regions in Ukraine by damaging infrastructure and utilities while causing numerous civilian injuries. Reports indicated that Russian forces launched 407 drones and 44 missiles, among them cruise and ballistic missiles. Ukraine successfully destroyed approximately 200 drones and 30 missiles, but the toll remained severe, with injuries totaling 80 and possible individuals trapped under rubble.

In Chernihiv, emergency services recovered two bodies from the ruins of an industrial site. Lutsk was left in mourning as a man's body was found in an apartment's wreckage, with the search for his wife still ongoing. Thirty people were injured in the city where educational institutions and government buildings also sustained damage.

The assaults continued to disrupt lives and infrastructure in Ternopil, leaving parts of the city without power and injuring ten people. In Poltava, three individuals were hurt as administrative buildings and other structures were struck, while Khmelnytskyi also witnessed damage to residential properties. Additionally, three Russian missiles were intercepted over Lviv.

Despite two rounds of direct peace talks in Istanbul, the hopes for a truce between Russia and Ukraine appear dim. US President Donald Trump recently suggested prolonging the conflict over immediate peace, marking a notable shift in his stance. This approach follows Putin's warning of repercussions for the extensive Ukrainian drone strikes inside Russia.