Escalating Conflict: Five Killed in Major Russian Missile Attack on Ukraine

Thu Oct 16 2025 21:35:54 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A devastating overnight attack by Russia has left five dead in Ukraine, with significant damage reported and tens of thousands without power. President Zelensky condemns the strikes targeting civilian areas as winter approaches.

In a severe escalation of hostilities, five casualties have been reported following intense missile and drone attacks by Russia across Ukraine, primarily affecting the Lviv region. President Zelensky disclosed that the strikes, which hit residential areas and infrastructure, see a grim reminder of the ongoing conflict as the nation braces for winter.

Five people have died and tens of thousands have been left without power in Ukraine after intense Russian missile and drone attacks overnight, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

Four members of one family, including a 15-year-old girl, were killed by a strike in the village of Lapaivka as attacks mostly targeted the western region of Lviv.

One person also died in Zaporizhzhia. Zelensky stated that Russia fired more than 50 missiles and around 500 attack drones, accounting for a total of 549 according to Ukraine's air force.

Russia's defense ministry claimed it had executed a massive strike on Ukrainian military and infrastructure targets.

Ukraine's neighbor, Poland, scrambled fighter jets to ensure the safety of its airspace while NATO aircraft were also deployed. Lviv endured several hours of strikes, resulting in public transport suspension and power outages.

Maksym Kozytskyi, Lviv's regional head, remarked it was the largest assault on the region since Russia's full-scale invasion began. He noted around 163 missiles and drones targeted residential buildings, hospitals, civilian infrastructure, and gas lines, marking the attacks as especially cynical as temperatures drop.

In Lapaivka, additional family members were injured in the strikes. As severe damage was reported in multiple regions—such as Chernihiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia—officials indicated that over 73,000 people were left without electricity after a power plant was hit.

Zelensky emphasized the necessity for enhanced air defense measures, stating, We need more protection and faster implementation of all defense agreements, especially regarding air defense, to deprive this aerial terror of any meaning.

With Russia concentrating on knocking out Ukraine's energy infrastructure as winter nears, civil life across the nation faces considerable disruption.

The attacks follow recent U.S. statements affirming support for Ukraine to strike deeper within Russian territory, escalating the complexity of the ongoing conflict.