KYIV, July 16 — In one of the most harrowing nights in recent weeks, Ukraine endured a wave of relentless attacks as Russia launched over 400 drones, artillery rounds, and a ballistic missile across multiple regions. The assault—delivered between late Tuesday and early Wednesday—comes despite mounting international pressure, including former U.S. President Donald Trump’s stern call for a peace deal within 50 days.
For the people on the ground, the numbers translate to trauma, destruction, and unimaginable pain.
A woman lost her life. Over two dozen others, including a 17-year-old boy, were injured in the chaos. In Kryvyi Rih, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown, missile strikes severed power and water supplies, plunging civilians into darkness and fear. Local officials confirmed that industrial buildings were decimated in the strikes, adding further economic and emotional toll to an already fragile region.
“He was wounded in the abdominal cavity… Now doctors are fighting for his life,” wrote Oleksandr Vilkul, the city’s mayor, referring to the injured teenager. His message on Telegram echoed the desperation felt by many across the country: “This has never happened before. A ballistic missile and 28 Shaheds simultaneously.”
The strikes hit not only Kryvyi Rih but also Vinnytsia and Kharkiv, where dozens were wounded in a series of overnight drone attacks. Ukrainian air force officials confirmed that Russia launched a mix of Iranian-designed Shahed drones and an Iskander missile from the annexed Crimean Peninsula.
This wave of violence comes just days after Trump’s warning that he would enforce “severe sanctions” on Russia unless a peace agreement is reached. But on the ground, hope feels distant. The last round of direct peace talks between Ukraine and Russia happened over a month ago, and since then, there has been no real movement—only bloodshed.
With battlefield advances and an intensification of aerial strikes, Russia appears to be doubling down rather than drawing back.
And for the people of Ukraine, that means another sleepless night, another fractured home, another empty chair at the table.
