Almost 1,000 drones within 24 hours: Russia launched one of its largest attacks on Ukraine
Almost 1,000 drones within 24 hours: Russia launched one of its largest attacks on Ukraine
In a significant escalation, Russia deployed nearly 1,000 drones over Ukraine in a 24-hour span between March 23 and 24, marking one of the most substantial aerial campaigns by Moscow since the war’s onset. The assault began with a heavy missile and drone barrage during the night, followed by a daytime strike on Tuesday involving over 550 drones focused on central and western areas.
Casualties and Damage Spread Across Multiple Regions
The attack resulted in at least three fatalities and over 30 injuries during the daylight phase, building on an overnight assault that claimed four lives and left 21 others wounded, as reported by regional authorities. Lviv, a city in western Ukraine near the Polish border, was hit by drone strikes that injured 17 civilians. A historic architectural site, the Bernardine Monastery complex, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city center, sustained damage in the attack.
Other regions also faced targeted strikes, including Ivano-Frankivsk, a regional capital, where two people were killed and four injured, including a six-year-old child. Maternity hospitals and ten residential buildings were damaged in the assault. Explosions were reported in Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, and Zhytomyr, with a 12-year-old girl hospitalized after being injured in a strike on central Zhytomyr.
Zelenskyy Condemns the Attack
“Iranian ‘Shahed’ drones, modernised by Russia, are striking a church in Lviv – this is an absolute perversion, and only someone like Putin could find this appealing,” stated President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his evening address. He also highlighted the historical significance of the church, noting its origins trace back to the early 17th century.
Zelenskyy further emphasized that the scale of the attack demonstrates Russia’s lack of intent to end the conflict. “And when you consider that Russia is also helping the Iranian regime to strike across the entire region
