By SCM International Desk I Wednesday, Oct. 07, 2026
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia unleashed a sweeping barrage of 70 missiles and scores of explosive drones across Ukraine overnight, killing multiple civilians and heavily damaging residential neighborhoods and critical power infrastructure in 12 regions.
The attack—one of the largest combined aerial assaults in recent weeks—coincided with Russian President Vladimir V. Putin’s 74th birthday. Ukrainian officials accused Moscow of deliberately orchestrating a high-profile, symbolic wave of destruction to mark the occasion.
In a statement issued following the strikes, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pointed directly to the timing of the offensive, describing the heavy civilian toll as a grim “gift” to the Kremlin leader.
”Today, on Putin’s birthday, the Russian army ‘gifted’ the destruction of a residential building in Pryluky in the Chernihiv region,” Mr. Zelensky said. “It was an ordinary five-story apartment block.”
In Pryluky, located in northern Ukraine, rescuers worked continuously through collapsed concrete to pull survivors from the debris. Local emergency teams reported that at least five people were killed and 26 others injured, including five children, with additional victims feared trapped beneath the rubble.
The overnight strikes slammed into population centers across the country, damaging multi-story residential buildings and causing fatalities in several regions:
Dnipro and Kremenchuk: Five apartment buildings in Dnipro and four high-rises in Kremenchuk were hit, leaving two people dead and eight injured.
Kyiv and Oleksandriia: Shelling and missile strikes killed two people in the capital and two others in the central town of Oleksandriia.
Zaporizhzhia: A residential high-rise suffered structural damage in an attack by Iranian-designed Shahed drones.
”My condolences to all the families and loved ones of those who perished,” Mr. Zelensky added.
A Symbolic Strike on the Energy Grid
Ukrainian officials stressed that the nationwide salvo—which combined fast-flying ballistic missiles and loitering munitions— targeted the nation’s energy infrastructure. Moscow has repeatedly used targeted strikes against energy grids as a tactic to disable heating and electricity networks ahead of cold weather.
”The Russians wanted to strike hard and make a show of it. This was one of the most despicable attacks,” Mr. Zelensky said, noting that while air defense crews successfully intercepted a portion of the incoming salvo, Russian ballistic missiles remain the single greatest hurdle to protecting Ukrainian cities.
The Ukrainian president renewed his urgent calls for Western allies to replenish air defense stockpiles, specifically highlighting the need for additional interceptor missiles for U.S.-made Patriot defense systems.
”Packages of air defense systems for us right now are an absolute necessity,” Mr. Zelensky said. “That’s exactly why we’re searching every day for missiles for the ‘Patriots’ that can and must truly protect people’s lives here, in Ukrainian skies.”
Since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, Ukrainian and Western officials have frequently noted a pattern of Russian commanders timing major missile and drone campaigns around significant political dates or holidays—including Russian national celebrations, anniversaries, and key political birthdays.
The strategy behind strikes targeting power substations and generation facilities has been a recurring element of Russia’s winter campaign. By crippling generation capacity, Moscow aims to disrupt civilian life, strain civil infrastructure, and weaken domestic resolve.
To counter high-velocity ballistic missiles, which present the steepest operational challenge for air defenses, Ukraine relies heavily on advanced Western surface-to-air systems, such as the American Patriot and European-supplied SAMP/T platforms. However, Ukrainian officials continue to warn that continuous supply shortages of specialized interceptor missiles leave critical infrastructure vulnerable to mixed salvos designed to overwhelm defense networks.
