Summary of the day
Russia launched about 200 missiles and drones at Ukraine.
Five people were killed and energy infrastructure was impacted.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, described Russia’s moves as “one of the largest attacks – a combined strike, involving over a hundred missiles of various types and around a hundred ‘Shaheds.’”
Zelenskiy also issued a plea for more help from Kyiv’s partners. “Across Ukraine, we could do much more to protect lives if the aviation of our European neighbors operated in concert with our F-16s and air defense systems, he said.
The Ukrainian president also said his country “cannot be constrained in its long-range capabilities when the terrorists face no such limitations.”
Ukraine’s energy minister, German Galushchenko, called the situation at the moment challenging.
Poland said that a drone had likely entered its airspace early in the day during Russia’s bombardment of Ukraine.
Commenting on Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk region, the Kremlin said that such hostile actions cannot be left without a response.
The US ambassador in Kyiv, Bridget Brink, reiterated that “we will continue to support Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against this brutal full-scale invasion.”
Today, Russia launched a massive attack on Ukraine of over 100 missiles and 100 drones, killing civilians and targeting the energy grid. We must remember Russia started this war 2.5 years ago. We will continue to support Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against this brutal…
— Ambassador Bridget A. Brink (@USAmbKyiv) August 26, 2024
Watch footage of the moment a Russian missile hit a reservoir in the Ukrainian city of Vyshhorod.
Here are the latest images from Ukraine.
A 69-year-old man in the Dnipropetrovsk region and a man in the Zaporizhzhia region were among at least five people confirmed dead today after Russia launched about 200 missiles and drones at Ukraine, Reuters reported citing local officials said.
The others were in the regions of Kharkiv, Zhytomyr and Volyn.
Russia said it had struck Ukrainian forces at more than a dozen places along the front in the Kursk region, Reuters reported.
“Units of the northern group of forces, with the support of army aviation and artillery fire, repelled attacks by enemy assault groups in the direction of the settlements of Kremyanoye, Malaya Loknya and Nechayev,” Russia’s defence ministry said.
The ministry also said Russian forces had also “thwarted attempts to attack in the direction of Komarovka, Spalnoye, Korenevo, Pogrebky and Olgovka.”
Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said that “given the serious situation” he will be “personally leading tomorrow’s IAEA mission to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Russia.”
Given the serious situation, I’m personally leading tomorrow’s @IAEAorg mission to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Russia.
— Rafael MarianoGrossi (@rafaelmgrossi) August 26, 2024
My statement: https://t.co/pIRdPMrlzA pic.twitter.com/3DpI3jTJAk
A Ukraine foreign ministry official said that the Russian attack on Monday had targeted a hydropower plant in the Kyiv region.
“Today’s Russian attack ... targeted Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, including Kyiv HPP,” Andriy Sybiha said on X.
He called for global action and said the strike amounted to a war crime.
Today’s Russian attack—100+ missiles & nearly 100 drones—targeted civilian Ukrainian infrastructure, including Kyiv HPP. Tragically, there are casualties.
— Andrii Sybiha 🇺🇦 (@andrii_sybiha) August 26, 2024
These cowardly attacks are #warcrimes. Global action required:🇺🇦needs a right to long-range strikes & enhanced air defense
Russia claims to have struck western arms and munitions at two Ukrainian airfields
Russia says it struck western arms and munitions at two Ukrainian airfields as well as gas compressor stations and electric power substations.
Russia’s defence ministry said said the energy facilities it had targeted with drones and missiles were providing power to Ukraine’s military industrial complex.
Object that flew into Polish airspace during Russian attack on Ukraine likely a drone, officials say
An object that flew into Polish airspace during Russia’s attack on Ukraine on Monday was most likely a drone, Poland’s army operational command spokesperson has said. Searches for the object are under way.
“During Monday’s massive attack on Ukrainian territory, we probably had an object flying into Polish territory,” General Maciej Klisz, Operational Commander of the Armed Forces, was quoted as saying by Polsat News.
“The object was confirmed by radiolocation by at least three radar stations. I had full control of the object, I was ready to shoot it down.”
Poland, a Nato ally, shares a long border with Ukraine and has been a staunch supporter of Kyiv’s fight against invading Russian forces.
The Polish army said a military object entered Polish airspace during a Russian attack on Ukraine today, Reuters reported citing PAP. The Polish army said the object was not a missile.
'The time for decisive action is now': Zelenskiy issues call following 'one of the largest attacks'
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has issued another plea to western partners to step up their assistance, after Russian launched what he described as “one of the largest attacks – a combined strike, involving over a hundred missiles of various types and around a hundred ‘Shaheds.’”
“Across Ukraine, we could do much more to protect lives if the aviation of our European neighbors operated in concert with our F-16s and air defense systems. If such unity has proven effective in the Middle East, it must work in Europe too,” the Ukrainian leader stressed.
“Ukraine cannot be constrained in its long-range capabilities when the terrorists face no such limitations,” he said, adding: “America, Britain, France, and our other partners have the power to help us stop this terror. The time for decisive action is now.”
Currently, across the country, efforts are underway to eliminate the consequences of the Russian strike. This was one of the largest attacks – a combined strike, involving over a hundred missiles of various types and around a hundred “Shaheds.” Like most Russian strikes before,… pic.twitter.com/0qNTGR98rR
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 26, 2024
Updated
Commenting on Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk region, the Kremlin said today that such hostile actions cannot be left without a response, Reuters reported.
'Act now, not later': Kuleba calls on partners to allow long-range strikes and agree to shoot down missiles
Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, has called on Kyiv’s friends to agree “to use partners’ air defense capabilities to shoot down missiles and drones close to their airspace.”
There are two specific decisions that our partners can make to help us put an end to Russian terror sooner. First, affirming Ukraine’s long-range strikes on all legitimate military targets on Russian territory. Second, agreeing to use partners’ air defense capabilities to shoot down missiles and drones close to their airspace.
None of these decisions are escalatory. To the contrary, they will deter Russia, help to reduce terror and the number of Russian attacks, as well as the resulting casualties. Act now, not later. Help us save lives.
This morning, Russia launched a massive missile and drone strike on 15 Ukrainian regions, primarily targeting critical civilian infrastructure and our energy system.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) August 26, 2024
There have been civilian deaths and injuries, as well as damage to energy facilities. Russia continues to wage a…
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office, has called for “more anti-missile equipment for Ukraine” and finalising “restrictive sanctions so that Russia will not be able to reproduce ballistics, hypersonic and cruise missiles.”
Another massive missile and drone attack by Russia. Targeted on 15 regions of #Ukraine at once. On energy, civilian objects. With unconditional genocidal intentions...
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) August 26, 2024
If anyone is still willing to talk to the collective entity "#Putin", it means that such attacks are acceptable…
Ukraine’s energy minister, German Galushchenko, has called the situation at the moment challenging, Ukrinform reported.
Ukrenergo, the national power company, has instituted emergency power outages.
“The enemy is again causing missile terror against the whole of Ukraine. The energy sector is under attack. The enemy does not give up on plans to leave Ukrainians without electricity,” Galushchenko wrote in a social media post.
15 Ukrainian regions impacted by Russian attacks, prime minister says
The Ukrainian prime minister, Denys Shmyhal, said this morning that “15 regions were affected” by Russian missile and drone attacks.
There are wounded and dead, he said, noting that energy infrastructure has been impacted and Ukrenergo is applying emergency power cuts to stabilise the system.
He also reiterated Kyiv’s call for long-range weapons and permission from partners to hit Russian targets.
Updated
Kyiv residents took shelter in the subway this morning.
Morning in #Ukraine
— Olga Stefanishyna (@StefanishynaO) August 26, 2024
Kyiv residents took shelter in the subway as russia launched massive missile attacks across the country. pic.twitter.com/HVHGjikcG5
A Ukrainian drone tried to attack an oil refinery in the Russian city of Yaroslavl, regional governor Mikhail Yevrayev said today, Reuters reported.
Three dead after Russia launches massive air attack
Good morning. It is 10:20am in Kyiv. Russia has launched a missile and drone attack, according to Ukrainian military. Witnesses reported blasts near Kyiv, which were attributed to air defence responding to the attack.
At least three people were killed, regional authorities said. The casualties were reported in western Lutsk, eastern Dnipro and southern Zaporizhzhia regions.
Power and water supplies were disrupted in parts of Kyiv, the city’s mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging app.
Ukraine’s largest private energy producer DTEK said it was introducing emergency power outages following the attacks.
We will keep you updated on developments. Meanwhile, here is the latest news from elsewhere in the Ukraine-Russia war:
Ukraine on Sunday called on Belarus to pull back what it described as significant levels of Belarusian forces and equipment deployed at their common border. The Ukrainian foreign ministry warned Belarus against making “tragic mistakes” while under pressure from Moscow. The ministry said Belarus special forces and former Wagner mercenary fighters were among the troops at the border.
A British man working for the Reuters news agency has been killed in a strike on a hotel in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, the news agency has said. Ryan Evans, who was working as a safety adviser for the agency, was killed after a missile struck the Hotel Sapphire on Saturday where he was staying as part of a six-person team.
Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said the hotel was hit by a Russian Iskander missile, a ballistic missile that can strike at distances up to 500 km (310 miles). “An ordinary city hotel was destroyed by the Russian Iskander,” he said in his evening address on Sunday, adding the strike was “absolutely purposeful, thought out … my condolences to family and friends.” Russia has been bombing hotels in frontline areas for more than a year.
Ukraine’s forces advanced up to three kilometres in Russia’s Kursk region, taking control of two more settlements there, Zelenskiy also said in his evening address.
Russia launched attacks on northern, eastern and southern Ukraine on Sunday, killing at least four people and injuring 37, Ukrainian military and local authorities said. Overnight attacks targeted Ukraine’s frontline regions of Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Donetsk, Ukraine’s air force said on the Telegram messaging app. “Most of the missiles did not reach their targets,” the air force said.
Former US president Donald Trump signalled his support for Ukraine in a conversation with Zelenskiy and said he wants to stop the war with Russia, the Ukrainian president told Indian reporters in an interview posted on his social media channel on Sunday.
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