Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine’s capital overnight into Thursday that killed at least 13 people and injured scores, marking a significant escalation in the relentless bombardment of Kyiv that has intensified in recent weeks. The attack came just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned of an impending massive strike, having cut short a diplomatic visit to Ireland based on intelligence reports of the incoming assault.
The Russian military unleashed waves of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones across the capital for nearly a dozen hours, with damage recorded in more than 30 locations throughout the city, mainly targeting residential buildings and civilian infrastructure. According to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, 13 people were killed and at least 86 injured in the attacks. Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, confirmed that at least two children were among the injured and reported that around three dozen locations suffered damage across the city.
The destruction was widespread and severe. A nine-story residential building in the Desnianskyi district was partially destroyed with people trapped inside, prompting rescue operations. In the same district, six levels of another nine-story building collapsed after a direct Russian strike, while a separate five-story residential building was also damaged. In the Holosiivskyi district, a fire broke out on the roof of a 16-story building. The Shevchenkivskyi district, in the center of the capital, sustained damage to a hotel and two five-story residential buildings, with a paramedic reported to be in extremely critical condition among the injured. Fires also broke out in private residencies in the Sviatoshynskyi and Darnytskyi districts, with debris trapping residents in some of the damaged structures. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported that 20 residential buildings were damaged across the city.
The Emergency Service deployed nearly 500 personnel and 100 units of specialized vehicles, including a helicopter, to respond to the aftermath of the massive assault. Klitschko said the attacks included six floors of an apartment building that had partially collapsed following a direct hit from a Russian projectile, while rescuers worked to pull people from rubble, including those killed.
Residents rushed to metro stations and underground shelters as air raid alerts were issued throughout the capital. The attack stretched across all districts of the city on both sides of the Dnipro River. Russia’s Ministry of Defense stated it had launched a large attack targeting Ukraine’s defense, fuel and energy infrastructure in the Kyiv region, claiming it also hit military airports in the Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, and Chernihiv regions.
Ukrainian officials condemned the strikes as deliberate attacks on civilians. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the assault “a night of horror” and called for strong international response, describing the attack as grave war crimes. He urged Ukraine’s allies not to delay in providing air defense systems and missiles, warning that the death toll could rise as rescue teams continued their work. Sybiha rejected any characterization of the strikes as retaliation for Ukrainian attacks, arguing that Ukraine was exercising its right to self-defense under international law while Russia remained the aggressor.
The attack reflects Russia’s intensified bombardment of Kyiv in recent weeks, occurring amid Ukraine’s escalating long-range drone campaign against Russian military sites and energy facilities deep inside Russian territory. Ukraine has dramatically ramped up strikes on Russian oil refineries and infrastructure, causing fuel shortages and disrupting supply lines. This year alone, Ukraine has launched more than 3,000 long-range drones into Russia, compared to 110 in 2024. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has framed these attacks as “long-range sanctions” designed to disrupt Russia’s war economy and force Moscow to negotiate an end to the conflict.
Zelenskyy recently announced a 40-day escalated operation aimed at compelling Russia to end the war. He said during a news conference in Dublin on Wednesday that Ukraine had intelligence of the impending massive strike and warned citizens to be especially careful and heed air-raid sirens. “Today, we have information about another massive Russian strike; we have relevant intelligence data,” Zelenskyy stated, urging Ukrainians to take shelter.
The latest Russian assault demonstrates the ongoing toll of the conflict, now more than four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion. While Ukraine has found ways to strike back at its much larger neighbor through innovative drone technology, Russia continues to launch near-nightly attacks on Ukrainian cities with missiles and drones. More than four years into the invasion, the cycle of escalating strikes and counterstrikes shows no signs of abating.