In the early hours of the morning on January 18, 2025, a Russian ballistic missile strike on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, left three people dead and caused significant destruction. The attack occurred shortly after a previous air raid alert had ended, leaving the authorities unable to sound a second alarm in time. The missile struck the Shevchenkivskyi district, a busy commercial area in central Kyiv, causing a large crater in the road and extensive damage to nearby buildings.
The missile, identified as an Iskander-M ballistic missile, hit a business center, severely damaging its glass facade. The blast shattered windows in surrounding buildings and set a fire in a non-residential structure. The missile’s speed prevented the city’s air defense systems from issuing a timely warning, as the weapon reached the target too quickly. Experts on the ground confirmed that fragments of the missile, which had specific markings, were scattered across the area, aiding in the identification of its origin.
One business center, still under construction since the 2022 invasion, was empty at the time of the attack, which likely helped avoid further casualties. However, nearby establishments, including a McDonald’s and a dental clinic, sustained severe damage. Eyewitness accounts painted a vivid picture of the explosion’s impact. A local resident described hearing three consecutive blasts, followed by a glowing fireball in the sky and the building shaking violently. “It was very loud… when the third strike came, it was pretty scary,” said Oleksandr, a young man who witnessed the explosions.
Emergency response teams quickly arrived at the scene, and the area was cordoned off as investigations began. Local authorities in Kyiv, including Mayor Vitali Klitschko, confirmed the operation of air defense systems, although they were unable to prevent the deadly strike. The attack was the second fatal missile strike on the city this month, following a similar assault on New Year’s Day that claimed two lives.
The Russian missile strikes were not isolated incidents. In Zaporizhzhia, six people were wounded in another Russian attack. The attacks come just days before the inauguration of Donald Trump as the next US president, with many Ukrainians expressing concern over his previously stated intentions to reduce US military and financial support. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly emphasized the nation’s reliance on international aid as the war, which began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022, continues.
