Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reported that Ukraine endured a massive overnight assault by Russia, involving 40 cruise and ballistic missiles and approximately 580 drones.
In a statement on September 20, Zelenskyy stated that strikes targeted multiple regions, including Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, Poltava, Kyiv, Odesa, Sumy, and Kharkiv, with infrastructure, residential areas, and civilian enterprises coming under attack.
In Dnipro, a missile carrying cluster munitions directly struck an apartment building.
“All night, Ukraine was under a massive attack by Russia. The enemy launched 40 missiles – cruise and ballistic – and about 580 drones of various types. I thank all our warriors who defended the skies throughout the night, and our F-16 pilots, who once again proved their prowess today and effectively countered the cruise missile threat against Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy Confirms Russia Launched 40 Missiles and 580 Drones on Ukraine
According to Zelenskyy, the bombardment left dozens injured and three people dead, and he offered condolences to their families and loved ones.
He praised Ukrainian air defence forces and F-16 pilots for effectively countering part of the threat but noted that Russia’s actions amount to deliberate terror against civilians and infrastructure rather than military necessity.
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Zelenskyy urged for a strong international response, calling for enhanced air defences, increased weapons supplies, and tougher sanctions on Russia’s military and economic sectors.
“Every restriction on Russia saves lives. I thank everyone who helps and supports us,” he added.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia carried out a massive overnight strike into Saturday, deploying 579 attack drones along with several dummy drones. The assault also included eight ballistic missiles and 32 cruise missiles, according to the statement from Kyiv.
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Polish Military Speaks
Simultaneously, Polish and allied fighter jets took to the skies early Saturday, September 19, in response to a large-scale Russian aerial attack on Ukraine, with some strikes hitting areas close to Poland’s western border.
The response came just hours after NATO intercepted three Russian aircraft over Estonia, amid heightened concerns in Europe over repeated airspace violations by Moscow.
“Due to the activity of the Russian Federation’s long-range aviation, which is carrying out strikes on the territory of Ukraine, Polish and allied aviation have begun operating in our airspace,” the Polish military said.
“Duty fighter pairs have been scrambled, and ground-based air defence systems as well as radiolocation reconnaissance have reached a state of maximum readiness.”
Polish military said its air force was mobilized as Russia’s long-range aviation carried out strikes on Ukrainian territory.
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