Kyiv Attack: Russian Drone and Missile Strikes Kill 13 in Ukrainian Capital
Ukraine says one of the largest recent air assaults targeted Kyiv, damaging homes and infrastructure as rescue operations continue.
Emergency responders work at the scene after Russian missile and drone strikes hit Kyiv.
Kyiv attack intensified the war in Ukraine after Russia launched a large-scale overnight drone and missile assault on the Ukrainian capital, killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 30, Ukrainian officials said on Thursday.
The strikes hit residential neighbourhoods and civilian infrastructure across Kyiv, forcing authorities to evacuate several areas. Emergency crews continued rescue operations as firefighters battled multiple blazes throughout the city.
The head of Kyiv’s military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, said children were among the casualties. He accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilian areas.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched 74 missiles and 496 drones during the overnight assault. Air defence systems intercepted most of the incoming weapons. However, 25 ballistic missiles and 12 drones struck 33 locations, causing widespread destruction.
The attacks damaged residential buildings, vehicles, an ambulance station and other civilian facilities. Officials said one person suffered critical injuries after the ambulance station came under attack.
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Emergency services confirmed that rescue teams saved at least 34 people. Search operations continued at damaged apartment buildings and homes in southeastern Kyiv.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged international partners to provide more air defence systems. He also called for tougher sanctions against Russia, saying Ukraine needed concrete action rather than statements of condemnation.
Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna, described the attack as another devastating night for Kyiv residents, many of whom spent hours in underground shelters.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its forces targeted Ukrainian military and energy facilities. Moscow described the strikes as retaliation for recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
The assault marked Russia’s first major missile and drone attack on Ukraine in more than two weeks.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shortened his visit to Dublin after receiving intelligence that Russia was preparing a large-scale attack.
Zelensky urged Ukrainians to remain vigilant and protect their families. He said Russian President Vladimir Putin had been preparing the operation for some time.
Meanwhile, fighting continued on the ground in eastern Ukraine. Russian forces recently advanced towards Kostyantynivka, a strategically important city in the Donbas region. Ukrainian military commanders, however, said their forces have regained more territory this year than they have lost while disrupting key Russian supply routes.
Russia currently controls about one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory, most of which it captured during the early stages of its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
