Russia unleashed a massive drone and missile attack on southern Ukraine overnight into Saturday, killing at least one civilian and wounding 28 others, including three children (a 9-year-old boy, a 10-year-old boy, and a 16-year-old girl), in Zaporizhzhia, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov. The barrage, one of the largest in recent months, struck a five-story residential building and five private houses, leaving parts of the city without electricity. This follows a deadly strike on Kyiv two days earlier, which killed 23 and damaged EU diplomatic offices, underscoring the war’s escalating toll as U.S.-led peace efforts falter.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched 537 drones (including decoys) and 45 missiles, with 510 drones and 38 missiles intercepted or neutralized. The attack targeted multiple regions, with Zaporizhzhia bearing the brunt, where two apartment blocks were heavily damaged. Fedorov noted eight of the wounded were hospitalized. In Dnipropetrovsk, infrastructure fires erupted, while Kyiv’s railway facilities and western regions like Lutsk reported minor damage but no casualties.

The Kremlin, on August 28, claimed continued interest in peace talks, despite the Kyiv attack—the deadliest single strike since 2022, penetrating the capital’s defenses and killing children among others. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the “brutal” assault, urging stronger sanctions and air defenses. Hours later, the Trump administration approved a $825 million arms package for Ukraine, including extended-range missiles, signaling robust support amid stalled diplomacy.

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Zaporizhzhia, a frontline region partially occupied by Russia, has faced relentless attacks, with 419 strikes reported on August 29 alone. The region’s nuclear power plant, under Russian control since 2022, remains a global concern, though no radiation spikes were reported. Ukraine’s drone strikes, like the June 1 Operation Spiderweb targeting Russian airbases, have disrupted Moscow’s logistics, but Russia’s intensified bombardments—4,139 ceasefire violations in 2024—highlight the war’s grinding stalemate.

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