Russian ballistic missiles and drones pounded Kyiv and a dozen other regions in an overnight barrage that killed at least 24 people and wounded around 60. The assault coincided with Vladimir Putin’s 74th birthday, prompting sharp condemnation from Ukrainian officials who accused Moscow of launching a deliberate campaign of terror.
Pryluky Apartment Block Destroyed as Death Toll Climbs Across Regions
The heaviest devastation occurred in the northern Chernihiv region. A Russian missile struck a five-storey residential building in Pryluky, causing several sections to collapse and entombing residents beneath the concrete. Local officials and emergency services confirmed that at least 18 people died at the site, including four children. Among the young victims were three one-year-olds—named Oleksandr, Kyrylo, and Serhiy—and an eight-year-old, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. Roughly 50 people sustained injuries in the town.
The assault stretched far beyond Chernihiv, hitting 11 regions. In Kremenchuk, missile strikes damaged apartment buildings and an industrial facility, killing two people and injuring seven. Two deaths were also reported in the capital city of Kyiv, where falling debris and explosions rattled multiple districts. Fatalities and structural damage were similarly recorded in Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, and Oleksandriya.
In the capital, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that warehouse facilities were struck in the Podil district, while an unspecified non-residential area was hit in the Obolon District. Elsewhere in the capital region, Russian strikes left an unexploded ballistic missile embedded among residential buildings. Meanwhile, in the Obukhiv district, three production and warehouse facilities suffered damage.
Further afield, an industrial facility was damaged during overnight air strikes in the southeastern city of Dnipro, where a blast wave affected 16 buildings and blew out doors and windows. In Zaporizhzhia, transport infrastructure sustained damage. In the Kirovohrad region, Mayor Serhiy Kuzmenko reported multiple casualties following an attack on vital infrastructure in Oleksandriia. In Sumy, a Russian attack destroyed the KUSUM pharmaceutical plant, killing one employee and halting production.
Zelenskyy and Western Leaders Condemn the Assault
Ukrainian leadership pointed to the timing of the bombardment as a deliberate psychological blow. Today, as a ‘birthday gift’ to Putin, the Russian army destroyed a residential building in Pryluky, in the Chernihiv region
, Zelenskyy wrote on social media, adding that the Russians wanted to strike painfully and demonstratively
.
That is exactly what the enemy is counting on. For us to be afraid to fall asleep. To let our children out of our sight. To plan anything.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, via CBC
International reaction focused on the widening aerial campaign. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that Europe is stepping up its support to protect people and infrastructure, urging others to do the same. Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko congratulated Putin on his dedicated service to the Motherland, expressing confidence that their trusting relationship would allow them to stand together on international issues.
Ukraine Neutralizes Most Russian Missiles and Drones
The massive combined missile and drone assault began around 6 p.m. on October 6. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russian forces utilized a wide mix of long-range weapons, including Zircon and Onyx missiles launched from Russia’s Rostov region, alongside Iskander-M, S-400, and North Korean KN-23 ballistic missiles launched from the Bryansk and Voronezh regions.
While the Ukrainian Air Force reported neutralizing five ballistic missiles, 39 cruise missiles, and 117 drones—achieving a success rate of just over 80% against jet-powered drones—many weapons still bypassed defensive screens. President Zelenskyy noted that the military only managed to shoot down some of the launched missiles and renewed his call for allies to provide air defense support packages.
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