Kyiv: A wave of relentless Russian drone strikes has once again pounded Ukrainian cities, with reports from Ukraine's authorities indicating a maternity ward in Odesa was among the civilian targets hit. This latest aerial onslaught, described by Ukrainian officials as one of the largest since the conflict began, underscores the escalating intensity of attacks on urban centers and critical infrastructure.

Early Tuesday morning saw explosions reverberate across Kyiv, the capital, as air defense systems engaged incoming drones. While the extent of damage in Kyiv is still being assessed, initial reports confirm impacts across several districts, sparking fires and injuring multiple individuals. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reacting to the fresh wave of attacks, urged "concrete action" from international partners, emphasizing that Russian "missile and Shahed (drone) strikes drown out the efforts of the United States and others around the world to force Russia into peace."

The southern port city of Odesa bore a particularly grim brunt, with a "massive" overnight drone attack striking an emergency medical building and, chillingly, a maternity ward. While patients and staff were reportedly evacuated safely from the hospital, the attack caused significant damage and tragically resulted in at least two fatalities in the city. Photographs circulating show shattered windows and structural damage to medical facilities, drawing immediate condemnation and highlighting the severe human cost of these continued hostilities.

These intensified bombardments follow recent Ukrainian strikes on strategic bomber air bases deep inside Russian territory, which Moscow has explicitly cited as retaliatory measures. Ukrainian military data indicates that Russia launched hundreds of drones and several missiles in the past week alone, signifying a dramatic escalation in aerial warfare. The targeting of civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities, is a grave concern and a stark reminder of the devastating impact of the conflict on the civilian population. International humanitarian law explicitly protects medical services and personnel in conflict zones, and attacks on such facilities are widely condemned as violations.