Russia launches one of its biggest drone, missile attacks this year at Ukraine

Updated : Aug 21, 2025 13:04
|
AFP

Russia launched hundreds of drones and missiles against Ukraine overnight in the biggest barrage since mid-July, killing one person and wounding many others.

Ukrainian officials said on Thursday that the strikes showed Russia was not serious about a peace deal despite intensive US diplomatic efforts in recent days.

"Russia continues to demonstrate that it is not interested in peace," Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said, in a social media post.

"Last night, Ukraine was subjected to a large-scale combined strike: drones,  cruise and ballistic missiles, even hypersonic weapons," she said.

Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 574 drones and 40 missiles. Air defence units downed 546 drones and 31 missiles.

"One person was killed and two were wounded as a result of the combined UAV and cruise missile strike in Lviv," said Maksym Kozytskyi, head of the military administration in the western city's region.

"Dozens of residential buildings were damaged," he added.

Russian fire also wounded 12 people in the city of Mukachevo, near the border with Hungary and Slovakia, the city council said.

"Five patients are being treated in the hospital, and one more was transferred to the regional hospital," the council posted.

Western Ukraine is less frequently targeted by Russian forces, which have captured swathes of southern and eastern Ukraine in an invasion which began in 2022.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said there was "no military logic or necessity" to the strikes, saying they were "just terror against people".

Meanwhile, Russia's defence ministry said it destroyed "49 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles" across multiple regions.

The ministry did not detail any casualties or damage.

The latest cross-border fire follows Trump's flurry of diplomacy this month aimed at ending the war.

The US president met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska, before bringing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders to Washington for separate talks.

Russia has played down the prospect of a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky any time soon, and has said it wants to be included in discussions on future security guarantees for Ukraine.

Russia Ukraine War

Recommended For You

editorji | World

India abstains from UNGA resolution demanding return of Ukrainian children from Russia

editorji | World

India rushes Bailey bridge, water units to Sri Lanka; shares digital disaster-response toolkit

editorji | World

Trump admin orders H-1B, H-4 visa applicants to make social media profiles public

editorji | World

Trump says Putin wants to end war, US to hold new talks with Ukraine

editorji | World

Doctor who sold ketamine to 'Friends' star Matthew Perry gets 2.5 years in prison