At least nine people have been killed and 63 others injured, including six children and a pregnant woman, following a devastating overnight missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv. The deadly assault, attributed to Russian forces, caused widespread destruction and chaos, with local authorities warning that several individuals may still be trapped beneath the rubble.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the attack led to fires erupting in six locations across the city. The western Svyatoshynskyi district was the hardest hit, where rescue teams have been combing through the debris of a destroyed residential building in search of survivors. Social media footage from the night shows missiles striking the city, sparking large blazes and sending residents into panic.
The assault extended beyond Kyiv, with reports of explosions in the north-eastern city of Kharkiv. Mayor Ihor Terekhov stated that at least two individuals were injured and multiple private homes were damaged in the attack, which took place just 40km from the Russian border.
Ukraine’s air force issued a stark warning that nearly all regions were under threat of air strikes, highlighting the scale and coordination of the assault. The Russian military has not issued any statement regarding the attacks.
The strikes come amid rising international tensions, particularly after former U.S. President Donald Trump accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of obstructing peace negotiations by refusing to acknowledge Russia’s control over Crimea. Ukraine, however, maintains that Crimea remains part of its sovereign territory, despite its annexation by Russia in 2014.
The full-scale invasion launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin in February 2022 continues to devastate Ukraine, with Moscow currently occupying approximately 20% of the country’s territory.
As emergency services race against time to locate survivors, the latest attacks have once again underscored the severe human toll of the ongoing conflict. The presence of injured children and families further highlights the indiscriminate nature of the assault, drawing renewed condemnation from the international community.
