Kyiv: The Ukrainian capital of Kyiv endured a harrowing night and early morning today as a relentless barrage of Russian drones and missiles slammed into various districts, inflicting widespread damage on residential areas, igniting fires, and leaving at least 20 people wounded. The renewed aerial assault underscores a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, bringing the brutality of the three-year war directly to civilian doorsteps.
City officials painted a grim picture of the assault, which began in the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that the Solomianskyi district, near the city center, bore the brunt of the attack, with an apartment building sustaining major damage to its top floor. Rescue teams were also urgently deployed to at least two other districts – Sviatoshynskyi and Darnytskyi – where falling debris from intercepted munitions sparked blazes. Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, noted impacts across 12 sites in six districts, including a kindergarten. Tragically, a 62-year-old U.S. citizen was also reported to have died in a dwelling in the Solomianskyi district during the attack.
The protracted air raid alert, which lasted for over seven hours, served as a chilling soundtrack to the bombardment. Witnesses described swarms of drones buzzing overhead, followed by the concussive force of explosions and the thud of falling fragments. Kyiv authorities confirmed that most of the injured were concentrated in the Solomianskyi and Sviatoshynskyi areas, with at least six individuals requiring hospitalization for their wounds. Power cuts were also reported in several parts of the city as infrastructure buckled under the sustained assault.
This latest onslaught arrives amidst a period of heightened aerial aggression from Moscow. Both Ukraine and Russia have intensified their use of drones and missiles in recent weeks, even as limited direct talks on prisoner exchanges have taken place in Istanbul. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, condemned the attacks, reiterating that "Russia is continuing its war on civilians." The timing of the assault also coincides with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's expected attendance at the G7 summit in Canada, where global leaders are deliberating on the ongoing conflicts and international responses. The sustained bombardment of Kyiv serves as a stark reminder of the conflict's devastating impact on urban centers and the relentless pressure on civilian populations.