Key facts
- Russia conducted a wave of strikes across Ukraine on July 3, targeting civilian areas.
- The attacks resulted in at least 17 deaths and 125 injuries.
- Two young girls were among those killed, and at least 10 other children were injured.
- President Zelensky condemned the attacks, stating Russia's only argument is terror.
- Ukraine's Air Force reported intercepting a significant number of drones and missiles.
Russia launched another series of strikes across Ukraine on July 3, following its largest attack on Kyiv of the full-scale war. The overnight assaults targeted homes and civilian infrastructure, resulting in at least 17 deaths and 125 injuries nationwide over the past day. Among the fatalities were a 2-year-old girl and a 7-year-old girl, with at least 10 other children sustaining injuries across four oblasts.
President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced the attacks, stating, "Terror is the only argument they have left to not stop the war." He asserted that Russian forces deliberately targeted civilian areas, including a hospital in Kherson Oblast, with no military justification.
Ukraine's Air Force reported successfully intercepting one of two Kh-59/69 guided missiles and 82 out of 105 attack drones launched by Russia overnight. However, hits from the remaining missile and 21 drones were recorded at 16 locations, with debris from intercepted targets also causing damage.
Specific impacts included five deaths and 34 injuries in Sumy Oblast, where a family of four was killed by a drone strike. In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, three people died and 24 were injured, including a 7-year-old girl. Donetsk Oblast reported four deaths and 12 injuries, while Kherson Oblast saw two deaths and 16 injuries. Kharkiv Oblast recorded one death and 16 injuries, including four children, with a 10-year-old girl in critical condition after a drone strike. Mykolaiv Oblast reported one death and seven injuries, and Zaporizhzhia Oblast had 11 injured, including four children.
Meanwhile, emergency crews continued search and rescue operations in Kyiv following a July 2 attack. The death toll from that incident rose to 30, with 10 individuals still missing. July 3 was designated a day of mourning in the capital.