Russian forces carried out massive air attacks in Ukraine on August 21, targeting several regions with drones and missiles, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Officials reported civilian casualties and significant damage to residential areas and infrastructure.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 574 drones and 40 missiles overnight.
In Lviv, a city in western Ukraine, Russian missile and drone strikes killed one person and injured two others, according to regional governor Maksym Kozytskyy. Dozens of residential buildings were reportedly damaged.
In Mukachevo, in the Zakarpattia region near Ukraine’s western border, 12 people were injured in several missile attacks, according to the city council.
South of Zaporizhzhia city, Russian missiles hit residential areas, injuring an 85-year-old woman and damaging several homes, local authorities said.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha condemned the attacks, writing on X that “despite all efforts to end the war, Russia carried out massive attacks on Ukraine overnight. Hundreds of drones, hypersonic, ballistic, and cruise missiles were launched against civilians and energy infrastructure.”
Sybiha said one of the missiles hit a major U.S. electronics manufacturing facility in western Ukraine, causing significant damage and casualties.
“A civilian building with no connection to defense or the military,” he added, emphasizing that this was not the first time Russian forces have targeted U.S. businesses in Ukraine. He referred to previous attacks on Boeing’s office in Kyiv.
The latest attacks came days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders in Washington to discuss potential security guarantees for Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian invasion, which began in February 2022.
Russia denies deliberately targeting civilian sites, but attacks have repeatedly struck homes, hospitals, schools, and energy facilities.
Zelensky said discussions included a $90 billion program to purchase U.S. weapons for Ukraine’s defense.
Ukrainian officials also said work has begun on a military component of the security guarantees. The U.S. stated that European countries should bear the main burden in providing these guarantees, while Washington would offer support.
Meanwhile, August 18 talks in Washington ended with Trump promising to arrange a meeting between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, after the U.S. president met Putin in Alaska on August 15.
The Ukrainian president has consistently said he is ready for talks, but Putin has not expressed willingness. European leaders have expressed skepticism that Putin will participate in negotiations without pressure from the United States.
