Russian forces launched a massive combined missile and drone strike against Dnipro, Mykolaiv, and other Ukrainian cities early Saturday, Sept. 20, causing widespread destruction.
Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov reported that a residential high-rise was struck by a rocket in the morning.
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“I can’t sleep all night. The f***ots hit a residential high-rise building with a rocket... Details from the military administration,” he wrote at 07:05 a.m.
Dnipro endured repeated drone attacks overnight, triggering multiple explosions. Later, cruise missiles were also recorded in Ukrainian airspace. Local Telegram channels reported smoke over the city along with power and water outages.
Dnipropetrovsk regional head Serhiy Lysak confirmed that drones and missiles struck the city and surrounding areas.
“Several fires have broken out in Dnipro and the region. High-rise buildings, private houses, outbuildings, garages have been damaged. There is destruction on the territory of enterprises,” he wrote.
Initial reports said one person was killed and 26 wounded, with 14 hospitalized. One 55-year-old man is in critical condition with burns over 70% of his body.
The number of victims from the overnight shelling of Dnipro has risen to 30, with 12 hospitalized, Lysak later reported.
In addition to the high-rise hit by a Russian missile, another 40 apartment blocks were damaged.
Russian Strike on Dnipro Injures Seven and Damages Industrial Facility
Nearby Pavlohrad was also attacked by drones and ballistic missiles, sparking a fire at an enterprise.
In Mykolaiv, Russia carried out another combined strike. Regional governor Vitaly Kim reported that industrial facilities were hit and fires broke out. While no casualties were reported, drones also struck a farm in the Snigurivska community, igniting a warehouse fire and damaging homes and vehicles.
The Kyiv region head Mykola Kalashnik said debris from downed targets caused fires and damage in the Boryspil, Obukhiv, and Bucha districts:
- 10 garages damaged in Boryspil;
- a private home set ablaze in Obukhiv;
- five cars burned in Bucha.
In Odesa region, drones struck a farm warehouse storing agricultural machinery, sparking a fire that firefighters and volunteers quickly extinguished. No casualties were reported.
Later, President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to Russia’s overnight assault, reporting that Moscow launched 40 cruise and ballistic missiles and about 580 drones of various types.
“I thank all our soldiers who defended the sky all night, our F-16 pilots, who once again proved their skills and worked effectively in protecting Ukraine from cruise missiles,” he wrote on Telegram.
Zelensky said Dnipro and its region, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, as well as communities in Poltava, Kyiv, Odesa, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions were all targeted.
“The enemy’s target was our infrastructure, residential areas, civilian enterprises. A direct hit of a missile with cluster munitions on a high-rise building was recorded in Dnipro,” he confirmed.
As of now, dozens have been injured and at least three people killed in the attacks.
“My condolences to the family and friends,” Zelensky added.
The president stressed that each such strike is part of Russia’s deliberate strategy to terrorize civilians and destroy Ukrainian infrastructure.
“Ukraine has proven that it can defend itself and Europe, but for a reliable shield we must act together: strengthen air defense, increase weapons supplies, expand sanctions against the Russian military machine and the sectors that finance it. Every restriction on Russia is a life saved,” Zelensky said.
According to a report from Ukraine’s Air Force on Telegram, from 20:00 on Sept. 19 until the morning of Sept. 20, Russia launched a large-scale combined strike on Ukrainian territory using strike UAVs as well as air- and ground-launched missiles.
In total, Air Force radar units detected and tracked 619 aerial attack vehicles, including:
- 579 Shahed strike UAVs and decoy drones of various types;
- 8 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles;
- 32 Kh-101 cruise missiles.
The assault was countered by Ukrainian aviation, air defense missile units, electronic warfare, unmanned systems, and mobile fire groups.
“During the attack, the enemy used the traditional tactic of simultaneously striking designated targets with a large number of missiles and UAVs of various types,” the report stated.
Tactical aviation, including F-16 fighters, played a key role in intercepting cruise missiles.
“Western weapons once again prove their effectiveness on the battlefield. We thank our partners for the assistance already provided and expect further strengthening of Ukraine in the airspace, both with ground-based air defense systems and the aviation component,” the Air Force said.
By 9 a.m., preliminary data showed Ukraine’s defenses had shot down or suppressed 583 targets:
- 552 Shahed UAVs and decoys;
- 2 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles;
- 29 Kh-101 cruise missiles.
Despite the defenses, Russia’s strike caused hits from ballistic and cruise missiles and 23 UAVs at 10 locations, while falling debris from downed drones was reported at another 10 sites.
“The attack continues; several enemy UAVs remain in the air,” the Air Force added, while an air alert was declared in Kyiv at 9.26 a.m.
This story will be updated as new details emerge.
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