At least six people, including a six-year-old boy, were killed and more than 50 injured in a devastating overnight barrage of Russian drones and missiles on Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said. The attacks caused widespread destruction across more than two dozen locations, including a high-rise apartment building, a hospital, a school, and a kindergarten.
Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, warned that the death toll could rise as emergency responders continue to clear debris and search for survivors. “One of the strikes hit a residential high-rise building an entire entrance was destroyed,” said Ukraine’s Interior Minister Igor Klymenko. Three of the confirmed fatalities were found at the apartment block site.
Kyiv’s Sviatoshynsky and Solomyansky districts bore the brunt of the attack, with at least 20 people injured in those areas alone. In the Shevchenkivsky district, shockwaves from the blasts blew out windows of a hospital children’s ward, further highlighting the indiscriminate nature of the assault.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attacks, stating, “The world has yet again seen Russia’s response to our, America’s and Europe’s desire for peace. More demonstrative murder. This is why peace without strength is impossible.”
Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 309 drones and cruise missiles overnight, with air defences intercepting many but not all. The attack painted Kyiv’s skyline with a red-orange glow of destruction, and the high-pitched whine of drones haunted the city for hours.
The strikes came just days after U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Moscow. Initially giving Russia 50 days to agree to a ceasefire, Trump cut the deadline to just 10 or 12 days during a recent visit to the UK, citing frustration over continued aggression. “We were going to have a ceasefire and maybe peace… and all of a sudden you have missiles flying into Kyiv,” Trump said.
Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the morning as “horrible,” adding that people remain trapped under rubble. He urged stronger international action: “Trump has been very generous and patient. Now it’s time for maximum pressure on Moscow.”
