Russia launched a large-scale aerial attack on Ukraine on February 22, 2026, targeting energy infrastructure and other key facilities across the country. The strikes, which involved dozens of missiles and nearly 300 drones, represent a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict and underscore the continued threat to Ukrainian civilian infrastructure.
According to statements from the Russian Ministry of Defence, the attacks were in response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian civilian infrastructure over the past 24 hours. The ministry stated that Russian forces used long-range precision weapons and drones to target Ukrainian military and industrial facilities, as well as energy infrastructure used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. They claimed all designated targets were hit.
Ukrainian Response
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched a simultaneous air assault utilizing 50 missiles of various types – cruise, ballistic, and hypersonic – along with 297 unmanned aerial vehicles. Ukrainian air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 33 missiles and 274 drones, but some projectiles reached their intended targets, impacting 14 locations across the country.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that one person was killed and eight were injured in the attacks. He stated that the primary target of the assault was Ukraine’s energy sector, with residential buildings and railway infrastructure similarly sustaining damage. “The main target of the attack was the energy sector. Ordinary residential buildings and railways were also damaged,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy also noted that Russia has launched over 1,300 drones and 96 missiles, plus more than 1,400 guided bombs, at Ukraine in the past week. He added that Moscow appears to be prioritizing air strikes over diplomatic efforts, referencing ongoing trilateral negotiations between the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia aimed at finding a resolution to the conflict.
Russian air defense systems reportedly downed 86 Ukrainian drones over various regions of Russia, including Moscow, overnight.
