Russia has unleashed one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine yet, firing 948 drones across the country in a single 24-hour period. The attack marks a significant tactical shift: more than 550 of those strikes came during daylight hours, breaking Russia's established pattern of nighttime bombardment and signalling a dangerous escalation in Moscow's confidence.
The assault killed at least three civilians and wounded dozens more. In Lviv, a UNESCO-protected city in western Ukraine far from the battlefield, drones struck the historic city centre near the 17th-century St Andrew's Church and Bernardine Monastery. Fires consumed residential buildings as the strikes came during evening rush hour, forcing people to shelter inside churches while the barrage continued. Regional authorities reported at least 13 people hospitalised in Lviv alone.
The western city of Ivano-Frankivsk was particularly hard hit. Two people were killed, including reports of a National Guard soldier and his newborn daughter. A maternity hospital sustained damage, and around 10 residential buildings were destroyed. Four others, including a six-year-old child, were wounded.
Ukraine's air force spokesman Yuriy Ignat described the assault as historic in its scale and timing. "On such a large scale, it's basically the first time," he told international media. "I don't recall there being such daytime strikes with this number of drones." The shift away from overnight attacks suggests Russia believes it can strike with impunity during daylight hours, potentially reflecting its assessment of Ukrainian air defences.
The overnight component of the attack was equally devastating. Russian missiles and drones rained down on residential areas and energy infrastructure across multiple regions. In Zaporizhzhia, fires raged across multiple floors of high-rise residential blocks, their windows and balconies blown out. Power lines supplying neighbouring Moldova were cut, forcing the country to declare a state of emergency. Another power line to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was damaged, prompting international alarm.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy framed the assault as evidence of a deeper problem. "These numbers clearly show that more protection is needed to save lives from Russian strikes," he said on social media. His statement pointed to an uncomfortable reality: Ukraine faces a mounting air defence crisis precisely when it is being tested most severely.
The air defence squeeze
Ukraine's concern about dwindling air defence supplies is not abstract. Multiple reports indicate that Ukrainian forces are struggling to source the interceptor missiles needed to protect cities from the relentless bombardment. The most critical shortage involves Patriot air defence system interceptors; Ukraine may face depleted air defences as the US-led war with Iran burns through global stockpiles of Patriot missiles, according to recent analysis.
The problem stems from competing global demands. The United States is managing simultaneous military commitments across multiple theatres. Since the escalation of the Iran conflict, American and allied forces have deployed more than 1,000 PAC-3 interceptors in the Middle East alone. Production cannot keep pace with demand. Lockheed Martin currently manufactures roughly 600 PAC-3 missiles annually, a figure that falls short of covering demand from the US military itself and its Gulf partners, let alone Ukraine.
The Pentagon's approach to supply management has created additional friction. Earlier reviews of US military stockpiles resulted in pauses and slowdowns to weapons deliveries to Ukraine, with officials citing concerns about depleting American reserves. While the White House has disputed claims of deprivation, the practical reality remains: Ukrainian forces report they are consuming air defence interceptors faster than replacements arrive.
Ukraine attempted a creative solution. The country dispatched around 200 military experts to Gulf states to trade anti-drone technology and expertise for conventional air defence missiles. It has also sought to accelerate supplies through European allies and new NATO procurement arrangements, yet these efforts have only partially succeeded. Deliveries remain irregular and smaller than needed.
The scale of Russian drone production compounds the challenge. Russia fired 5,059 long-range drones against Ukraine in February 2026 alone, representing a 13 per cent increase from January. Moscow has mobilised its industrial base to wartime production levels. The mathematics are merciless: Ukraine must down nearly all incoming drones to protect civilians, while Russia can sustain losses and replace them. Each major Russian barrage forces Ukraine to expend valuable interceptors faster than Western production can resupply them.
Zelenskyy's government faces an uncomfortable diplomatic situation. Formal US-brokered talks aimed at ending the war have stalled, partly derailed by global focus on the Middle East conflict. Ukraine is signalling that without rapid increases in air defence support, its ability to sustain the defence of civilian population centres will deteriorate. Yet the geopolitical reality is one of constrained resources and competing priorities across the alliance.
The daytime attack on Lviv and other cities demonstrates what happens when Ukraine's air defences are overwhelmed. Historic sites are struck. Maternity hospitals are damaged. Civilians are forced to shelter in churches. Russia is testing not merely Ukrainian air defences but the resolve of the Western alliance to sustain supply lines under strain. The outcome of that test will shape the course of the war.