Massive Russian Attack On Kyiv Kills At Least 13, Injures Dozens

Massive Russian Attack on Kyiv Kills at Least 13, Injures Dozens

At least 13 people have been killed and more than 30 others wounded after a massive Russian missile and drone attack struck Kyiv overnight into Thursday, Ukrainian officials said. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko initially reported that at least a dozen people had died and more than 30 were injured as Russian forces launched a barrage of attacks across the Ukrainian capital. The death toll continued to rise as emergency crews searched damaged buildings and cleared rubble. The strikes hit multiple locations across Kyiv, damaging residential buildings, a medical facility and an educational institution. In the Solomianskyi district, the upper floors of a nine-storey apartment building were destroyed and fires broke out, leaving residents trapped and prompting a major emergency response. A children’s hospital and a school were also among the civilian facilities damaged in the attack. Emergency workers were deployed to several locations across the capital as authorities searched for survivors and treated the wounded. The overnight assault involved a large combination of Russian ballistic and cruise missiles and drones. Ukrainian officials said the scale of the barrage placed significant pressure on the country’s already limited air-defence capabilities. The attack also caused significant disruption to Kyiv’s electricity supply, with tens of thousands of homes losing power. Utility crews began restoring electricity as emergency operations continued. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack and renewed calls for stronger international support for Ukraine’s air-defence systems, particularly systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly warned that shortages of air-defence interceptors are leaving cities increasingly vulnerable to Russian missile attacks. The latest attack is part of an intensifying campaign of Russian aerial strikes against Ukrainian cities. Russia has increasingly used large waves of missiles and drones against Kyiv and other population centres, while Ukraine has continued launching long-range drone attacks against targets inside Russia. Authorities in Kyiv declared a day of mourning for the victims as rescue and recovery operations continued. The situation remained developing on Thursday, with officials warning that the casualty figures could change as emergency teams continued searching damaged structures.