Russian missile attack on Turkish cargo ship Golden Leo kills five

The incident came after a night of massive Russian airstrikes on several Ukrainian cities. President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram of "one of the most massive ballistic attacks on Kyiv" and said Russia had "launched more than 40 missiles of various types, most of which were aimed at the capital, as well as 120 attack drones."

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia used 41 missiles in the overnight attack. Ukrainian air defense recorded 23 missile hits and ten drone strikes. According to authorities, at least one person was killed and 13 others injured in the attacks on Kyiv and the surrounding region.

Impact also in Russia

In a suburb of the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, officials reported three deaths and 16 injuries following Russian attacks. The reports from various parts of the country underscore the nationwide dimension of the overnight wave of attacks.

The attacks were not limited to Ukrainian territory. In the city of Elektrostal near Moscow, 36 people were injured and one was killed, according to Governor Andrey Vorobyov. Kotowsk lies roughly 500 kilometers southeast of Moscow. In the Tambov region, seven people were killed and 25 others injured, according to Governor Yevgeny Pervyshov; all those affected had been employees of an online mail-order company.

Possible changes in military leadership

The Ukrainian president also hinted at changes in the army leadership on Saturday evening: There had been "many consultations," he said, "of course I hear what people are saying." According to a report by the Financial Times, Zelensky is considering replacing General Oleksandr Syrsky.

The background to the conflict is Russia's ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, which has lasted for years. The "Golden Leo" was operating as a civilian cargo ship in the Black Sea, a sea area that has repeatedly been the scene of attacks on merchant vessels. The incident raises questions about the safety of civilian shipping in the region.

International reactions to the attack on the "Golden Leo" had not yet been forthcoming. The Ukrainian Navy announced that it would continue to document the incident. At the same time, rescue and salvage operations for the freighter's crew were underway.

The attack on the ship came during a phase of intensified Russian air operations. Zelensky had previously reported the destruction of a Russian Tu-95 bomber. Reporting on the Russia-Ukraine war remains complex, as various sources sometimes publish contradictory information on casualty figures and attack details.