At Least 10 Dead as Russia Launches 11-Hour Missile Barrage on Kyiv
At least 10 people were killed and dozens more wounded Thursday after Russia launched an 11-hour missile and drone assault on Kyiv, in what Ukrainian authorities called one of the most destructive single-night attacks on the capital since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. Ballistic missiles and exploding drones struck at least 30 locations across the city, reducing residential buildings to rubble and triggering fires that burned through the night. The attack came hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that intelligence indicated a major Russian strike was imminent.
Zelensky Warned of “Massive” Strike Hours Before Attack
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had warned earlier that intelligence showed Russian President Vladimir Putin was preparing a “massive” strike. “That is exactly the threat we are facing tonight,” Zelensky posted on X Wednesday. Air-raid sirens began sounding around 8 p.m. local time and continued well into Thursday morning as the assault unfolded. Residents packed into metro stations and bomb shelters, bracing for a prolonged attack that stretched through the night.
Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed the attack, saying it launched a “massive strike using high-precision, long-range weapons” targeting military and energy infrastructure in Kyiv and the Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Cherkasy and Chernihiv regions. Ukraine disputed the characterisation, alleging that residential buildings and civilian infrastructure bore the brunt of the strikes.
Footage from the scene showed fires burning on crumbling apartment blocks, rescuers combing through rubble and wounded civilians being carried out on stretchers. “There have been very significant direct hits on residential buildings, where, unfortunately, the bodies of the deceased are being recovered from under the rubble,” said Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration.
Children and Medics Among the Wounded
Among those injured were at least one child and several medical workers who were struck when an ambulance substation was hit, according to Ukrainian emergency services. Rescue teams worked through the night searching for survivors beneath collapsed structures. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha warned the death toll was expected to rise as searches continue. “We demand strong international responses. Not only words of condemnation but concrete action to stop Russian terror,” Sybiha said Thursday.
More than four years on from Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine’s cities face near-nightly attacks from Moscow’s drones and missiles. But Kyiv’s forces have also found ways to strike back. Ukraine launched an unprecedented drone campaign against Russian energy infrastructure in the past month, with Moscow reporting 660 drones intercepted across 12 regions on a single night last week — one of the largest Ukrainian attacks since 2022. Those strikes have penetrated deeper into Russian territory, bringing the realities of war to cities far from the frontlines.
Western Allies Condemn Strikes
Leaders in Berlin and London condemned the strikes as an escalation. A spokesperson for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the attack “a horrifying escalation” and said Germany would convene an emergency session of European defence ministers. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office said the strikes demonstrated “Putin’s utter contempt for any prospect of peace.” The United States said it was “deeply concerned” by reports of civilian casualties and called on both sides to return to ceasefire negotiations brokered in Geneva last month.
What Happens Next
Ukrainian officials say they expect more Russian strikes in the coming days and have urged residents to remain vigilant. A new round of US-brokered talks is scheduled to resume in Doha next week, though it remains unclear whether the Kyiv attack will complicate efforts to extend the fragile ceasefire. Russian officials have not commented on whether the strikes will affect negotiations. Zelensky is expected to address the UN General Assembly on Friday to push for stronger international action against Moscow.
