Russia launched a multi-wave attack on Ukraine, unleashing a barrage of 70 air-assault weapons, including cruise and hypersonic missiles, alongside Iranian-made drones.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported on Sunday that despite valiant efforts, at least 10 missiles managed to breach their air defenses, leading to widespread concern and chaos.
The attack, focused on a region in western Ukraine, caught many off guard, as it occurred far from the front lines.
However, the tragedy was felt deeply, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirming casualties from an earlier strike on a blood transfusion center in Kupiansk, a strategic railway hub situated fewer than 10 miles from the frontline in the eastern Kharkiv region.
Rescue workers battled to extinguish fires and attend to the wounded, but Zelenskyy couldn't hold back his outrage, branding the attack a "war crime."
The true scale of the casualties remained unclear at that time.
Russia, however, staunchly denies any intent to target civilians in what has become a full-scale invasion, causing immeasurable human suffering, displacement and destruction of cities.
In an attempt to mitigate the damage, Ukraine's air defense successfully thwarted 30 out of 40 cruise missiles and managed to intercept all 27 of the Shahed drones launched by Russia during the overnight offensive.
The Air Force, commemorating a holiday on Sunday, announced this achievement via the Telegram messaging channel.
The Ukrainian military also disclosed that Russia had deployed three Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, but information on these advanced weapons remained highly classified.
"In total, in several waves of attacks, from the evening of Aug. 5 to the morning of Aug. 6, 2023, the enemy used 70 means of air assault weapons," the Air Force said.
However, the fate of the 10 cruise missiles that managed to evade interception remained a mystery, casting a shadow of uncertainty over the region.
Serhiy Tiurin, the deputy governor of the Khmelnytskyi region in western Ukraine, provided harrowing insights into the targets hit during the attack.
Among them, the Starokonstiantyniv military airfield, a recurrent point of contention, endured another barrage of explosions.
Although most of the missiles were successfully countered by the air defense forces, the destructive force of the attack left several houses, cultural institutions and the bus station damaged, with a fire breaking out at a nearby grain silo.
With tensions soaring, Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat emphasized the significance of the Khmelnytskyi region in Russia's offensive strategy.
"Now, it is the Starokostiantyniv airfield that haunts the enemy," Ihnat said.
As Ukraine finds itself deep in the throes of a challenging counteroffensive, seeking to reclaim occupied territories in the south and east, the global community remains watchful, recognizing the enduring resilience of the Ukrainian people.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had earlier commended Ukraine's progress, stating that the counteroffensive was just beginning and would unfold over several months.
