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The United Nations Security Council met on Friday to address Russia's "most massive airstrike" across Ukraine since the war began in February 2022. 122 missiles and dozens of drones were used during the attack, according to Ukrainian officials.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said earlier on social media platform X that Ukraine and dozens of other UN member states called for a meeting of the Security Council after the attacks, "which resulted in numerous civilian casualties and severe destruction of infrastructure civil".
Russia's missile and drone strikes killed at least 31 civilians and injured more than 160 people. Authorities believe others are trapped under the rubble and say the death toll is likely to rise.
"Today, Russia used almost every type of weapon in its arsenal: 'Kindzhals', S-300, self-guided missiles and drones ... most of them were shot down," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on the X network.
He said a maternity hospital was among the targets hit by Russia's strikes.
Explosions were officially reported in Kiev, the northeastern city of Kharkiv, the western city of Lviv, the eastern cities of Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia, and the southeastern port city of Odesa.
The scale of the attack has surpassed previous major attacks: Russia launched 96 missiles in November 2022 and 81 missiles on March 9, according to Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk.
Members of the UN Security Council, including the United States, France and Britain, condemned the attacks, calling them "a desperate and futile attempt by Russia to regain the upper hand" in its war with Ukraine.
British UN ambassador Barbara Woodward told the council: "They will not succeed."
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the Russian attacks, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
"Attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international humanitarian law, are unacceptable and must be stopped immediately," said Mr. Dujarric.
In a statement earlier Friday, President Joe Biden said the attack was "a stark reminder to the world that, after nearly two years of this devastating war, Putin's objective remains unchanged," seeking to destroy Ukraine and subjugate the people her. President Biden added that Russian President Putin "must be stopped." The US president said that although the United States has so far helped Ukraine, Congress must step up its efforts and approve more aid "without any further delay" or "we will not be able to continue sending arms." and vital air defense systems. Ukraine must protect its people."
President Biden said that "the significance of this war extends far beyond Ukraine. It affects the entirety of the NATO alliance, the security of Europe and the future of the transatlantic relationship," adding that the United States has assembled a coalition of more than 50 places. to support the defense of Ukraine. "We cannot let down our allies and partners. We cannot abandon Ukraine," he said.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Friday's mass attack should spur the world to further action in support of Ukraine.
A number of Ukrainian cities were attacked with over 120 missiles and dozens of Iranian-made Shahed drones, causing over 20 casualties across Ukraine, including Kiev.
A warehouse, a factory and a high-rise apartment building were destroyed in the Ukrainian capital as residents of Kiev woke up to the sound of heavy Russian strikes.
"I was woken up at half past seven in the morning by a terrible noise. It was very scary, rockets were flying and everything was buzzing. I didn't know what to do. As I entered the bathroom, the mirror shattered with such force that, a few seconds later, I would have had cuts all over," says Maria, a resident of Kyiv.
Attacks were also carried out in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia.
"It is known about four dead, there are two women and two unidentified bodies. Twelve injured are in hospital, some refused treatment. In total, the enemy launched 10 rockets, we managed to shoot down one rocket", said Mr. Malashko.
A policeman, part of the rescue teams, while holding a phone in his hand, says that the person he was talking to says that his two nieces are under the rubble.
Residents of the eastern city of Dnipro ran for shelter as residential buildings and a goods warehouse continued to burn hours after the Russian attacks.
In total, at least 5 victims are reported in Dnipro where, among other things, a maternity hospital was hit.
An elderly man was pulled alive from a collapsed building in Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv.
Video shared by the State Emergency Service showed the elderly man covered by large stones of the collapsed building as rescuers managed to pull him out of the rubble of the building destroyed by the Russian strikes. Attacks were also carried out in Odesa and Lviv.
Ukraine says this is the largest Russian airstrike with over 120 missiles and Iranian-made Shahed drones.
"Today, Russia used almost every type of weapon in its arsenal," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on the social network, X.
The British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, also reacted to X.
"These attacks on Ukrainian cities show that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will stop at nothing to achieve his goal of destroying freedom and democracy," Mr. Sunak wrote, adding that we must stand by Ukraine as long as possible. as necessary.
The massive Russian airstrike came three days after Ukraine destroyed the Russian warship Novocherkassk, dealing a new blow to Russia's Black Sea fleet.
Fighting along the front line has been largely stalled by cold weather as Ukraine's summer counteroffensive failed to make significant progress along the nearly 1,000-kilometer-long front line. /VOA
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