Air raid sirens sounded over large parts of Ukraine during the night and Saturday morning following extensive Russian missile and drone attacks.
According to Ukraine's air force, the country was hit with 42 missiles and 123 drones "in a combined attack with missiles of several different types".
At least eight people were killed in the attacks, with the highest death toll confirmed from Poltava after a residential building was hit by a Russian missile. Seven people were killed and 14 injured, including three children, according to Ukraine's interior ministry.
Bombing of cultural heritage
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed for more support in a post on X and simultaneously mourned the deaths.
"My thoughts are with their families and loved ones", Zelensky wrote and continued:
"Another wave of terrorist crimes. We need increased support to defend ourselves against Russian terror."
The city of Odessa on the Black Sea was also subjected to rocket fire, which prompted a strong reaction from the UN agency Unesco.
"Unesco condemns the missile attack on the historic quarters of Odessa, which is a world cultural heritage", the UN agency writes and states that staff were on site to document the destruction – particularly of two buildings under Unesco's special protection for cultural heritage.
Russian offensive
Russia reported on Saturday that they had captured the village of Krymske near the city of Toretsk in eastern Ukraine. Intensive fighting has been ongoing around the village in recent months.
The nearby city of Toretsk had around 30,000 inhabitants before the war and is located a few miles south of Bachmut and the strategically important city of Tchasiv Yar.
