Russia Launches Largest Aerial Assault on Kyiv Since Start of War, Injuring 23
Kyiv came under the heaviest air attack since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, with waves of missiles and drones pounding the capital and injuring at least 23 people.
According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia launched a staggering 539 drones along with 11 ballistic and cruise missiles overnight Thursday into Friday. Ukrainian air defences managed to intercept 270 aerial targets, including two cruise missiles, while another 208 lost radar contact and are believed to have been jammed.
Despite the defence efforts, nine missiles and 63 drones struck eight locations, with drone debris falling on at least 33 different sites throughout the city. The Ukrainian capital was the primary target, with 14 people hospitalised, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed.
Associated Press reporters described a night filled with the buzzing of drones, explosions, and intense machine gun fire, as defence forces fought to repel the large-scale aerial onslaught.
Zelenskyy Condemns ‘Cynical’ Attack
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the assault as one of the most massive and deliberate yet. “Russia will not stop unless it is subjected to serious sanctions and economic consequences,” he said on social media. “They must feel the impact for every strike against civilians and human life.”
He added: “Once again, Russia demonstrates it has no intention of stopping its war and terror.”
Attack Follows U.S. Weapons Pause
The massive assault came just hours after former U.S. President Donald Trump held a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which he addressed the recent pause in U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine. The pause impacts crucial munitions like Patriot missiles, AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles, and Stingers — all critical for countering drones, missiles, and aircraft.
Wide-Scale Damage Across Kyiv
Kyiv’s emergency services reported damage in at least five of the capital’s ten districts:
- Solomianskyi district: A five-storey apartment building was partially destroyed, and a fire broke out on the roof of a nearby seven-storey structure. Warehouses, garages, and auto repair facilities were also affected.
- Sviatoshynskyi district: A missile struck a 14-storey residential building, triggering a fire and damaging multiple nearby vehicles.
- Shevchenkivskyi district: An eight-storey building suffered first-floor damage in a direct hit.
- Darnytskyi and Holosiivskyi districts: Drone debris caused additional damage.
Ukraine’s national railway operator, Ukrzaliznytsia, reported that rail infrastructure in Kyiv was also damaged by drone strikes.
This attack came less than a week after what was previously the largest aerial assault of the war, when Russia launched 537 drones, decoys, and 60 missiles. The escalation underscores the ongoing intensity of the conflict and the growing threat to civilian infrastructure and lives.
