DNIPRO, Ukraine — Residents of Dnipro were awoken by a series of devastating explosions in the early hours of Saturday, April 25, 2026, as Russia launched one of its most intensive aerial assaults of the year. The multi-wave strike, which lasted over 10 hours, has left at least three people dead and 21 injured in Dnipro alone, with the toll expected to rise as rescuers dig through the wreckage of a partially collapsed residential building.

The assault launched at 3:30 a.m. local time with a massive, coordinated barrage of 666 aerial assets. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, this sophisticated strike included 47 ballistic and cruise missiles—such as the Iskander-M and Kh-101—alongside 619 "kamikaze" drones, including Shahed, Gerbera, and Italmas models.

While air defenses intercepted the vast majority of the threats—downing 580 drones and 30 missiles—the sheer volume of the barrage allowed several projectiles to bypass the shield, with the city of Dnipro bearing the brunt of the impact.

The scene in Dnipro's residential districts is one of chaos and grief. A four-story apartment building was partially leveled by a direct hit. Emergency crews have recovered three bodies from the ruins, but regional Governor Oleksandr Hanzha warned that at least five more people remain missing under the concrete slabs.

Among the 21 confirmed injured is a nine-year-old boy. Eleven people have been hospitalized, with a 26-year-old woman reported to be in critical condition.

"Russia's tactics remain unchanged—attack drones, cruise missiles, and a significant number of ballistic missiles targeting civilians in their sleep," said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a statement following the strikes.

Beyond the residential destruction, the barrage targeted "industrial infrastructure facilities" and businesses. Large fires broke out across the city, including at a gas station where three heavy trucks were consumed by flames. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, involving hundreds of first responders and specialized K-9 units.

While Dnipro took the brunt of the assault, the "mass strike" devastated regions across Ukraine. In Chernihiv Oblast, a missile strike on Nizhyn claimed the lives of two men, while a morning drone attack in Kharkiv destroyed a public transport stop and injured a child. Further strikes on Kyiv and Odesa left a trail of damage to residential homes and critical port infrastructure.

As the smoke clears, the residents of Dnipro remain on high alert. With the Air Force warning of new groups of drones entering Ukrainian airspace, the "night of terror" has bled into a day of harrowing uncertainty.