Kyiv: A deadly overnight assault by Russian forces targeted multiple districts of Kyiv, leaving at least three civilians dead including an infant and wounding 18 others. The attacks, involving coordinated drone and missile strikes, caused severe damage to residential and government buildings and ignited fires across the capital.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that the strikes began late at night, initially with drones, followed by missile bombardments. The Ukrainian government’s central administrative building in the Pecherskyi district was set ablaze, sending thick plumes of smoke into the skyline. Among the victims, an infant and a young woman died in their homes, while a pregnant woman and four others were hospitalized with serious injuries. An elderly woman also lost her life in a bomb shelter in the Darnytskyi district east of the Dnipro River.
The attacks wreaked havoc on residential areas across Pecherskyi, Darnytskyi, and Sviatoshynskyi districts. In Sviatoshynskyi, multiple floors of a nine-story apartment building partially collapsed, while debris from drones sparked fires in a 16-story building and two additional nine-story complexes. Emergency services worked through the night to contain the fires, with images showing smoke rising from damaged facades and floors partially destroyed.
Beyond Kyiv, Russian strikes were reported in several other Ukrainian cities, including Kremenchuk, Kryvyi Rih, and Odesa. In Kremenchuk, explosions shook the city center and disrupted electricity in some neighborhoods. Kryvyi Rih faced targeted strikes on urban infrastructure and transport facilities, though no casualties were reported. Odesa also experienced damage to residential buildings and fires in civilian areas.
In response to the heightened security threat, Poland activated its air defense systems to protect regional airspace. Moscow has not officially commented on the latest attacks. Despite ongoing denials by both sides regarding targeting civilians, the civilian toll continues to rise since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, highlighting the conflict’s devastating humanitarian impact.