Overnight, Russia unleashed a significant attack on Ukraine, deploying hundreds of drones and numerous missiles that struck various civilian targets in Kyiv. Among these was a large apartment complex, tragically resulting in the deaths of at least 15 individuals and injuring many more, according to Ukrainian officials.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Russian forces launched more than 440 drones and 32 missiles. He characterized the devastation witnessed in Kyiv as one of the “most horrific” incidents in the capital during the ongoing conflict.
“Such attacks are pure terrorism. The entire world, including the United States and Europe, must respond decisively, as any civilized society would respond to terrorists. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin continues this aggression simply because he believes he can,” President Zelensky asserted.
Throughout the night, approximately 27 locations in Kyiv faced multiple waves of attacks. Officials indicated that residential buildings, educational facilities, and critical infrastructure were severely damaged.
Emergency responders worked tirelessly, sifting through rubble and dousing flames. Rescuers even used cranes to lower a wounded elderly woman on a stretcher from a window of an adjacent flat.
“I have never witnessed anything like this before. It is truly horrifying. When they began pulling people out, I saw many injured, including the elderly and children. I can’t fathom how long they plan to continue tormenting us—ordinary people,” shared Viktoriia Vovchenko, 57, a nearby resident.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko confirmed that 14 fatalities occurred in Kyiv, with one additional death in Odesa, southern Ukraine. Almost one hundred individuals suffered injuries across Kyiv, Odesa, and the northern Chernihiv region.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko mentioned that one of the deceased was a 62-year-old U.S. citizen, who succumbed to shrapnel wounds.
While Ukraine has also initiated drone strikes deep into Russian territory, these attacks have yet to inflict similar harm on civilian sites. The Russian Defence Ministry reported intercepting and destroying 147 Ukrainian drones over its territory, including the Moscow region, during the same period.
The conflict, now entering its fourth year, has escalated in intensity following the failure of recent peace negotiations in Istanbul. Russian troops continue to advance steadily in eastern Ukraine and have opened a new front in the northeastern Sumy region, despite calls from U.S. President Donald Trump for a ceasefire.
President Zelensky recently attended the Group of Seven summit in Canada, seeking enhanced support for stringent sanctions against Russia and increased military aid for Ukraine. He had anticipated a meeting with President Trump to discuss potential arms purchases; however, Trump departed the summit a day early due to developments in the Middle East, as reported by the White House.
Trump has shifted U.S. policy away from supporting Ukraine and has thus far resisted pressure from European allies to impose harsher penalties on Russia. Notably, he called for the G7 to consider readmitting Russia, which was expelled in 2014 following prior aggression against Ukraine.
In the words of President Zelensky, “The world must unite against terror, for the sake of humanity.”
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
