Russian missiles and drones bombard Ukraine in hourslong attack

Europe Russian missiles and drones bombard Ukraine in hourslong attack April 16, 20264:27 AM ET By  The Associated Press A woman with a dog walks among the rubble of a house damaged after a Russian strike on residential area in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. Evgeniy Maloletka/AP hide caption toggle caption Evgeniy Maloletka/AP KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia hammered civilian areas of Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles in an attack that stretched for hours from daytime into the night, killing at least 16 people and injuring more than 80 others in its biggest aerial barrage in almost two weeks, officials said Thursday. Ukraine invasion — explained Ukraine strings nets over cities as killer drones turn streets into war zones Russia launched nearly 700 drones and dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles, primarily targeting civilians, authorities said. Moscow's forces have hit civilian areas almost daily since its all-out invasion of its neighbor more than four years ago, with the regular assaults occasionally punctuated by massive attacks. More than 15,000 Ukrainian civilians have died in the strikes, the United Nations says. The latest bombardment came in the wake of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's 48-hour trip this week to Germany, Norway and Italy in an urgent search for more air defense systems that can stop Russian missiles. Ukraine fears the Iran war is burning through stockpiles of the advanced American-made systems it needs, and has argued against a U.S. temporary waiver on Russian oil sanctions that Kyiv says is helping finance the Kremlin's war effort. Sponsor Message "Another night has proven that Russia does not deserve any easing of global policy or lifting of sanctions," Zelenskyy said on X. He thanked Germany, Norway and Italy for new agreements this week on supporting Ukraine's air defense. Officials are also working with the Netherlands on additional supplies, he said. At the same time, he noted that some par...