All current developments on the war in Ukraine.
Russia unleashes the biggest barrage ever against Ukraine
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According to official data, Russia fired 122 missiles and 36 drones against Ukrainian targets on Friday.
At least 30 civilians were killed in the attacks as of Saturday morning.
A Ukrainian air force official said it was the largest airstrike of the 22-month war involving Iranian-made Sheed drones.
Most of the incoming missiles and drones were shot down – but at least 144 people were injured. An unknown number were buried under the rubble of buildings hit.
Zelensky said Kremlin forces had used a variety of weapons, including ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.
Broken glass and shredded metal littered the streets of the city of Kiev. Air raid and rescue sirens wailed throughout Friday as clouds of smoke rose into a bright blue sky.
Kateryna Ivanivna, a 72-year-old who lives in the Ukrainian capital, said she threw herself to the ground when a rocket hit.
“There was an explosion, then flames,” she said. “I covered my head and went out into the street. Then I ran into the subway station.”
Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on his official Telegram channel: “The most massive airstrike” since the full-scale invasion of Russia in February 2022.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the largest attack to date took place in November 2022, when Russia fired 96 missiles into Ukraine.
The largest this year was 81 missiles on March 9, Air Force records show.
The approximately 18-hour attack began on Thursday and lasted throughout the night. According to authorities, it hit six cities, including the capital Kiev, and other areas in eastern to western Ukraine.
This new wave of strikes shows that the country needs “more help” from the international community, reacted Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In June, Dr. Jade McGlynn, a research fellow in war studies at King's College London, told Euronews that Moscow is deliberately “terrorist bombing” Ukrainian civilians.
“The ultimate intention is to break the will of the population so that they will eventually give in and accept Russia,” she explained.
“Putin believes the West will give up and Ukrainians will be grateful for an end to terror.”
Europe reacts
The EU's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, responded on Russia's nightly strikes on the social media platform
“The EU stands by Ukraine as long as it is needed,” Borrell added.
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EU leaders will seek to adopt a long-term, multi-billion dollar financial support package for Ukraine when they meet on February 1 do not secure supporting Hungary's Viktor Orban earlier this month.
Also the acting Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte responded on the attacks on X. “Once again, Russia has killed and injured a large number of civilians. “Russia doesn’t stop,” he said.
“The only appropriate response to this is to continue to provide financial and military support to Ukraine so that it can defend itself against Russia’s ongoing aggression,” Rutte added.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas also joined calls for further support for Ukraine.
“It is crucial for European and global security that aggression does not pay off,” said Kallas said on the social media platform X.
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“Huge” Russian losses in Ukraine
Russia is suffering “enormous” losses of people and equipment in the war in Ukraine, a senior Bundeswehr official said in an interview published on Friday.
“According to Western intelligence services, 300,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured so badly that they can no longer be mobilized in the war,” General Christian Freuding told the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
Regarding the equipment, he added: “We think they [the Russians] lost a number of tanks and armored units, numbering in the thousands and at the higher end of the spectrum.”
At the same time, “the Russians are still managing to recruit personnel, including by bringing prisoners” to the front, the general said.
“We are of course seeing massive investments in the defense industry,” he continued.
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Fighting on the front has largely stalled due to winter weather after Ukraine's counteroffensive failed to make a significant breakthrough over the summer.