Russia hits Ukraine with a massive attack of 273 drones across the country

At least two Ukrainian civilians have died since Saturday evening at the start of one of Russia's most powerful attacks since the start of the war, according to the Ukrainian Air Force , which reported the use of 273 drones from Saturday evening until early this morning.

A nighttime attack on the Ukrainian capital , Kyiv , has killed a 28-year-old woman and injured three other people - a 59-year-old man, a 61-year-old woman and a 4-year-old boy -, regional governor Mikola Kalashnik said in a post on his official Telegram channel.

Kalashnik also reported that a private home was partially destroyed and several residential apartment blocks were damaged as a result of the attack. Emergency services continue to work on the ground, and the air alert over the city remains active, awaiting further details from the authorities.

The Donetsk regional government previously reported via the same platform that a series of Russian military airstrikes on its territory had resulted in the death of one person and the wounding of at least eight others . The fatality is a 27-year-old woman, according to a statement released by the region's governor, Vadim Filashkin , who specified that a minor was among the injured.

In a statement posted on its Telegram account, the Ukrainian Air Force said the bulk of the attack was repelled "by anti-aircraft missiles , electronic warfare units and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces ."

"As of 8:00 a.m., 88 Shahed attack UAVs and other types of drones were confirmed downed in the east , north, and center of the country," the Ukrainian military statement said, "and another 128 drones were lost in the open area without negative consequences."

The attacks come after at least nine people were killed and seven were injured early Saturday in a Russian drone attack on a minibus near Bilopillia in Ukraine's Sumi region .

The Ukrainian President, has regretted this aggression, describing it as a " lost opportunity for a ceasefire ", in reference to the recent contacts in Istanbul , the most concrete result of which has been the agreement between both countries to exchange in the near future a total of 2,000 prisoners of war , a thousand for each side.

"We must pressure Russia to stop the killings . Without tougher sanctions , without stronger pressure, Russia will not engage in real diplomacy ," he warned.