Russia launched overnight drone and missile strikes on several parts of Ukraine, including the northern Chernihiv region, killing at least 28 people on Wednesday (October 7). Five children were among those killed.

The casualties occurred after a Russian missile struck a residential building in the Pryluky district of Chernihiv. A large section of the five-storey building was damaged in the attack, and a fire broke out. The body of another child was later recovered from the rubble.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said three of the children killed were just one year old, while another was eight. The president’s office said 20 people were killed at the residential building in Pryluky alone. At least seven children were among those injured.

Zelenskyy accused Russia of attacking civilian areas and people. He said the continued use of missiles against Ukrainian civilians and children demonstrated the ongoing nature of the attacks.

Local residents said the attack on Pryluky began at around 6:30am on Wednesday. A day earlier, Zelenskyy had warned of a possible major Russian attack, particularly against energy infrastructure.

Amid fears of further strikes, many Kyiv residents spent the night in subway stations with bags, blankets and essential belongings. Air raid sirens also sounded across the city.

Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia used at least 50 missiles and 130 drones in attacks on various regions, including Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv, Kharkiv and Poltava, on Wednesday.

Although some missiles and drones were intercepted, Zelenskyy said ballistic missiles remained a major challenge for Ukraine’s air defences.

The report said the intensity of Russian attacks has been increasing in various parts of Ukraine as the winter season approaches, nearly five years into the Russia-Ukraine war.