Child casualties rise amid Russia's salvo on Ukraine, officials report

Mon Sep 14 2026 18:37:38 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Eight civilians, including three children, died in a Russian missile and drone attack, marking another blow for Ukraine amid escalating tensions.

Late on Sunday, Russian forces launched a massive assault on Ukrainian territory, deploying over 70 missiles and 280 drones that struck near Kryvyi Rih, killing eight people, three of whom were children. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strike and urged the U.S. to support the deployment of Patriot interceptor missiles. The attack also prompted concern in Poland, where a probable Russian Kh‑101 missile crater was discovered close to the border. Ukrainian officials report widespread damage to homes and infrastructure, with emergency services rescuing survivors from rubble.

Three children among eight dead in Russian strikes on Ukraine, officials say

Eight civilians, including two boys and a girl, lost their lives when a Russian missile and drone barrage hit Ukrainian territory overnight. The attackers employed more than 70 missiles and over 280 drones, with the campaign’s hardest hit area being near president Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih.

Zelensky publicly condemned the assault, stating that the country had suffered extensive damage to ordinary homes, civilian businesses and infrastructure. He called for the United States to grant Ukraine a licence to produce Patriot interceptor missiles, emphasizing that such air‑defence systems are crucial to prevent similar attacks.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that an object crashed into a field in eastern Poland, likely a Russian missile, in the early hours of Thursday. Ukrainian acting Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha earlier reported a Russian Kh‑101 cruise missile had crossed into Polish airspace, violating NATO limits.

In the wake of these events, emergency crews were engaged in rescuing survivors from rubble across Ukraine. Six-year‑old village residents, two boys aged 11 and 17, were among the six killed when a ballistic missile struck the Ukrainian village of Radushne. The missile destroyed a home housing a large family; the house was reportedly “blown into smithereens.”

The capital of Kyiv saw one casualty and fires in three non‑residential buildings, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko on Telegram. Similarly, the mayor of Poltava recorded a death following the attack on a Nova Poshta postal terminal, while Lviv experienced explosions that damaged residential buildings and trapped residents under rubble.

In Poland, Prime Minister Tusk stood near a 10‑meter crater after Russian missiles breached Polish airspace during attacks on Lviv. Polish armed forces mobilised fighter jets upon detecting missiles over western Ukraine, and later identified the missile impact site in a field near Tarnawa‑Kolonia, Lublin province. Polish authorities are continuing investigations to confirm the missile type and launch source, citing potential Kh‑101 involvement.

Meanwhile, a regional governor in Penza, Russia, reported a nighttime strike on a Wildberries warehouse, with one employee receiving injuries. Wildberries, often dubbed “Russia’s Amazon,” has endured increasing attacks from Ukrainian forces, raising concerns about the security of domestic commerce.

Zelensky remains urgent in his appeals to bolster Kyiv’s anti‑ballistic missile defences, stressing that the protection of civilians hinges on the provision of effective air‑defence systems such as Patriot missiles. The ongoing conflict underscores the persistent threat posed by Russia’s use of ballistic missiles to target Ukrainian cities.