This handout, provided by the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration and disseminated on April 16, 2026, depicts fumes rising from a structure ablaze following a Russian assault in Dnipro. Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration via AFP via Getty Images
LONDON — At least 16 individuals perished, and an additional 100 sustained injuries in Ukraine, as Russia aimed its weaponry at the nation in a “widespread” drone and missile offensive spanning Wednesday into Thursday morning, as stated by Ukrainian authorities.
Russia unleashed nearly 700 unmanned aerial vehicles and 19 guided rockets, alongside cruise missiles, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukraine intercepted approximately 636 drones and “a portion” of the rockets, he noted, adding, “Regrettably, not every one of them.”
A firefighter attempts to put out a fire at a site containing recyclable materials after a Russian strike in Kyiv on April 16, 2026, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.Serhii Okunev/AFP via Getty Images
Officials confirmed that a minimum of 16 people lost their lives across Ukraine. Zelenskyy stated that casualties had reached at least 100 reported injured “at this time.”
“Regrettably, fatalities have occurred in Odesa, Kyiv, and Dnipro,” he communicated via a social media announcement. “Among the deceased is a young boy — aged 12. My sympathies are with the bereaved families and their loved ones.”
The president mentioned that the majority of rockets targeted Kyiv, the capital city, however, damage and casualties were documented nationwide. Zelenskyy conveyed that certain missiles or drones circumventing Ukraine's defense systems impacted and impaired residential structures.
Firefighters operate near wrecked vehicles, at the location of a Russian missile impact, amid Russia’s aggression on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, April 16, 2026.Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters
“Yet another night underscores that Russia is undeserving of any relaxation in global policy or the removal of sanctions,” Zelenskyy asserted. “Russia is wagering on conflict, and the retort must mirror this: we are compelled to safeguard lives utilizing all available resources, and we are equally compelled to exert pressure for the sake of peace with unyielding resolve.”
Russia has opted to “intentionally terrorize civilians” through its assaults on populated sectors, declared Antonio Costa, the European Council president, on Thursday. He conveyed that the EU would persist in “amplifying pressure” on Moscow.
“Russia must cease this war of terror,” Costa urged. “An inclusive, equitable, and enduring resolution for Ukraine, predicated upon the tenets of the U.N. Charter and international law, must be realized.”
Russian representatives announced on Thursday that Ukraine initiated its own wave of drones targeting multiple districts within Russia. Moscow reported that its military brought down over 200 drones. A minimum of one Ukrainian drone made contact with a harbor along Russia’s Black Sea coastline, coupled with additional coastal cities, as stated by the local governor.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com