In the early hours of 7 September, Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine, using over 800 drones and several missiles to strike more than a dozen locations. Despite a major interception effort by Ukrainian air defense, dozens of Russia’s explosive drones and missiles reached their targets, killing civilians, injuring scores, and damaging infrastructure across multiple oblasts.

Kyiv: fires and civilian deaths

Kyiv was among the hardest-hit cities last night and this morning. Two people were confirmed killed, including an infant whose body was pulled from rubble, and more than 20 others were injured.

One woman died while sheltering in a basement in Darnytskyi District. The Kyiv Military Administration reported significant fire damage in the Pecherskyi District after a government building was hit by drone debris. The Cabinet of Ministers building caught fire after a strike.

In Sviatoshynskyi District, two nine-story apartment buildings ignited, and the top floor of a sixteen-story residential building was also engulfed in flames.

Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said that in Sviatoshynskyi District, a fire broke out in a nine-story residential building as a result of the Russian attack, causing partial destruction between the fourth and eighth floors.

“Unfortunately, two people were killed at this location — a woman and her two-month-old child. It is likely that more people remain trapped under the rubble. Over 20 others were injured,” Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko added.

Later that morning, Klitschko said authorities were still searching for the body of a third suspected victim under the ruins.

The city recorded more than 10 damaged sites. Over 400 emergency workers and nearly 100 vehicles, including helicopters, were deployed to respond, according to Klymenko.

Odesa: residential and civil infrastructure hit

In Odesa and the Odesa district, drone strikes caused multiple fires in residential buildings and critical infrastructure.

According to the Odesa Oblast Military Administration, three people were injured: a 73-year-old woman and a 27-year-old woman were hospitalized, and a 36-year-old man received treatment on site.

The Russian attack damaged a nine-story building, with fires on the upper floors. Firefighters also responded to blazes in warehouse facilities and vehicles. The local Palace of Sports sustained damage.

The air raid alert began at 22:34 on 6 September, with explosions reported starting at 04:08. The all-clear was given at 05:33.

Zaporizhzhia: kindergarten destroyed, civilians injured

On 6 September, Russian drones struck Zaporizhzhia, heavily damaging a kindergarten, where 80% of the building was destroyed. The Russian attack injured a total of 17 civilians, according to local authorities. Sixteen apartment buildings and twelve one-family houses suffered damage.

Fires erupted in residential areas, a critical infrastructure site was reportedly struck, and explosions damaged roofs, balconies, and windows.

One person was rescued from under debris. The regional prosecutor reported Russia’s use of Shahed-type drones, and a criminal investigation was launched.

By today, emergency operations had shifted from rescue to recovery.

Zaporizhzhia’s Novopavlivka: Russian air strike killed married couple

On 7 September, a Russian airstrike targeted Novopavlivka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Two people — a married couple — were killed. The woman died immediately; her husband’s body was later pulled from the rubble by rescue workers. Several homes were destroyed, according to local authorities.

Kryvyi Rih: missiles hit homes and infrastructure

At least two waves of Russian missiles targeted Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast during the Russian attack overnight on 7 September. The strikes injured three men, one of whom is in serious condition.

The city’s defense council head, Oleksandr Vilkul, said missiles struck transportation infrastructure, industrial sites, private homes, and high-rise buildings. Fires were reported at multiple sites. Public transit was partially disrupted.

A second missile strike later in the morning caused further damage and triggered a fire. Emergency response teams and civil infrastructure repair crews were deployed. 

Poltava Oblast: bridge damaged, train routes changed

In Poltava Oblast, Russia strikes hit infrastructure in Kremenchuk and Poltava districts. A detached home, a business, and the Dnipro bridge in Kremenchuk were damaged. Though the authorities reported no casualties, the bridge was closed to traffic. Poltava district authorities confirmed a municipal building was also hit.

Mayor Vitalii Maletskyi said the bridge is managed by Ukrzaliznytsia railway company, and structural assessments are underway. Due to damage, Ukrzaliznytsia altered a few train routes, and passengers are transported to Kremenchuk by bus. Two local electric trains were canceled for 7 September.

Sumy Oblast: woman killed in tent camp, child among injured

In the evening of 6 September, a Russian drone struck a tent camp near the town of Putyvl in Sumy Oblast. The attack killed a 51-year-old woman by shrapnel before medical help arrived. Eight others were injured, including an 8-year-old boy and both his parents. According to Putyvl mayor Kostiantyn Havrylchuk, most of the injuries were minor. The Sumy Oblast Prosecutor’s Office reported the attack occurred around 21:40.

In a separate incident in the Krasnopilska community, a 57-year-old man was hospitalized after a Russian drone struck his vehicle.

Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Kherson oblasts: ongoing civilian toll

Russian shelling and air attacks continued across Kharkiv Oblast, where one civilian was killed and six were injured in 14 separate locations over the past 24 hours, according to oblast head Oleh Syniehubov.

In Donetsk Oblast, Russian forces killed two people — in Drobysheve and Hryshyne — and injured nine more, as reported by oblast head Vadym Filashkin.

In Kherson Oblast, two civilians were reported injured over the previous 24 hours, according to local authorities. Later in the morning of 7 September, Russian artillery struck Kherson’s Central District, injuring a 73-year-old woman with shrapnel wounds and a blast injury, the oblast administration added.

Nationwide defense and aftermath

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russia launched 805 Shahed drones, nine Iskander-K cruise missiles, and four ballistic missiles overnight. Ukraine’s air defense downed or suppressed 751 aerial targets, including 747 drones and four cruise missiles. Nevertheless, 56 drones and nine missiles struck 37 locations. Debris from downed drones caused secondary fires and destruction in at least eight other locations.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the Russian attack, calling it a “conscious crime” and urging the international community to implement previously promised sanctions and accelerate the delivery of air defense systems.

“These killings, at a time when real diplomacy could already be underway, are deliberate,” he said.

He confirmed that in Kyiv alone, two people had been killed and dozens injured, including a child, and emphasized that political will was all that was needed to stop further bloodshed.

“We also expect full implementation of all agreements aimed at strengthening our air defense. Every additional system saves civilians from these vile attacks,” Zelenskyy added.

A massive Russian drone attack left 29,000 people without power in Odesa Oblast on the morning of 31 August, regional officials said.

The coastal city of Chornomorsk, just south of Odesa, suffered the most damage, oblast governor Oleh Kiper reported on Telegram. Critical infrastructure in the area is currently running on generators.

DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, reported that four of its facilities in Odesa Oblast were hit during the overnight attack.

Private houses and administrative buildings were also damaged. One person was reported injured.

Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia attacked Ukraine with 142 drones, 126 of which were shot down. 

The major coastal city of Odesa is a regular target for Russian aerial assaults, which have repeatedly damaged infrastructure and disrupted daily life. These attacks have caused power outages, property damage, injuries, and deaths, highlighting the ongoing risk faced by residents.

Ukraine’s government approved the privatization of the scandal-ridden Odesa Port Plant, setting a starting auction price of 4.5 billion hryvnias ($109 million) for the massive chemical facility, which had previously been paralyzed by corruption.

The sale tests whether Ukraine can revive a critical link in global food security as the country struggles with fertilizer shortages that threaten agricultural output. Ukrainian farmers can access only half the fertilizers they need, making the plant’s restoration vital for domestic food production and international grain exports.

Strategic fertilizer hub for global markets

Before the full-scale invasion, Ukraine produced over 5 million tons of fertilizer annually as a major grain exporter.

The facility’s two ammonia production units (1.08 million tons capacity) and two urea production units (900,000 tons capacity) previously exported to over 30 countries, contributing to worldwide agricultural productivity.

With global fertilizer prices still elevated since the war began and production disrupted across the region, the plant’s revival could help stabilize Ukrainian harvests and international food supplies.

From corruption symbol to auction block

Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced the privatization decision, noting the plant has operated only partially since 2022, providing oxygen and nitrogen for critical needs while serving as a port hub.

The facility became synonymous with state enterprise corruption after investigators revealed officials stole over 2 billion hryvnias ($48.4 million) through rigged tenders and kickback schemes. The scandal effectively paralyzed productive operations even before Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Wartime privatization wave accelerates

Success could demonstrate Ukraine’s ability to conduct transparent wartime privatizations while restoring a facility crucial for feeding Ukraine and the world.