'As much harm as possible' — 5 killed, 63 injured as Russia resumes mass attacks across Ukraine

At least five people were killed and 63 others injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past day, local authorities said on Sept. 8.

The mass attacks marked the end of a brief pause in strikes that was in place during a weekend visit by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and Kyiv. The talks failed to produce a major breakthrough, with President Volodymyr Zelensky saying afterward that he expected the war to continue into the winter.

The overnight attack underscored that reports, as Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack across Ukraine, with Kyiv and Odesa Oblast among the main targets, according to Ukraine's Air Force.

"It was a difficult attack, which the Russians deliberately tried to calculate to cause as much harm to life as possible: ballistic missiles, cruise and anti-ship missiles, jet-powered Shaheds," Zelensky said.

As of 8:30 a.m., with the attack still ongoing, air defenses had downed or suppressed two ballistic missiles, 31 cruise missiles, and 142 drones. Strikes were recorded at 29 locations, while debris from intercepted drones and missiles fell at nine additional sites, the Air Force said.

"Despite very good results against cruise missiles, ballistic missiles remain particularly difficult, and every day we make clear to our partners our need for interceptors," Zelensky added.

In Kyiv, at least three people were killed and 19 others were injured in a mass Russian missile and drone attack, city authorities said. Residential buildings, a school, and warehouses were damaged, while several large fires broke out across the capital.

As the attack continued, at nearly 12:00 p.m., Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said drone debris had fallen on a four-story office building in Solomianskyi district, causing a fire and structural damage. People were being evacuated from the upper floors, with preliminary reports indicating that there were casualties.

The assault also targeted communities in the surrounding region, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv Oblast Administration. One person was injured in a strike in the town of Bila Tserkva, Tkachenko added.

In Donetsk Oblast, two people were killed and 10 others were injured by Russian attacks, Governor Vadym Filashkin said.

Two people were killed in Kramatorsk, where six others were wounded. The security situation in the city has deteriorated as Russian forces continue their gradual advance toward it. Three people were also injured in Sloviansk and one in Raihorodok.

One person was killed and 13 others were injured by Russian attacks in Kherson Oblast, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, 12 people were injured in Russian attacks, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

In Kharkiv Oblast, three people, including a 17-year-old boy, were injured by Russian attacks, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. The attacks continued into the morning, with Syniehubov reporting at 9:41 a.m. that a Russian drone had preliminarily struck central Kharkiv.

Three men aged 58, 54, and 48 were injured in a Russian attack on a market in the suburbs of Odesa, with the 58-year-old hospitalized in moderate condition, Governor Oleh Kiper said.

In Sumy Oblast, a 65-year-old man was injured in a Russian drone strike, local authorities said.

On the morning of Sept. 8, Russian drones struck a Kyiv-Sumy passenger train twice, but no one was injured after the train was stopped during an air raid alert and all 90 passengers and crew members were evacuated, Governor Oleh Hryhorov said.

In Chernihiv Oblast, a 40-year-old woman was injured in a Russian drone attack on the village of Pryluky, Governor Viacheslav Chaus said.

One person was injured by Russian attacks in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, local authorities said.