Russia says it launched large-scale retaliatory strikes on Ukraine using Oreshnik, Kinzhal and Iskander missiles

The Defense Ministry said in a statement the strike involved Oreshnik ballistic missiles, Iskander aeroballistic missiles, Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, Zircon cruise missiles, air-, sea- and ground-launched cruise missiles, as well as attack drones.

According to the ministry, the strikes targeted Ukrainian military command facilities, air bases and defense industry enterprises.

“The objectives of the strike were achieved. All designated targets were hit,” the ministry said in a statement.

The attack came after Moscow said Ukraine struck this week a college building and dormitory in the city of Starobilsk in the Russia-controlled part of the Luhansk Region. Regional authorities said the death toll from the attack rose to 21 after search and rescue operations were completed on Sunday.

In a separate statement, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said more than 50 foreign journalists from 19 countries traveled to Starobilsk following the attack.

"Media representatives from Austria, Brazil, Britain, Hungary, Venezuela, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Qatar, China, Cuba, Lebanon, the UAE, Pakistan, the US, Türkiye, Finland, and France are taking part in the trip," Zakharova said on Telegram.

She added that the BBC refused to participate in the trip, while representatives of CNN said they were "on leave" and could not join.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on the US social media platform X that a building belonging to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry had been damaged in Russia’s overnight strikes.

Yuriy Ihnat, head of the communications department of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, told Ukrainian media that following the attack on Starobilsk, the Russian army had struck the city of Bila Tserkva in the Kyiv region, an important military hub.

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia launched around 90 missiles of various types and approximately 600 drones during the overnight attack, and as a result at least 83 people were injured and that there were fatalities, though he did not specify the number killed.

Both Russia and Ukraine continue to report civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure, while independent verification of battlefield claims remains difficult amid the ongoing conflict.