KYIV — A large-scale overnight Russian drone and missile assault struck Ukraine’s capital, killing at least two people and injuring 16 others, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Thursday morning.
The attack, which began just after midnight, involved 18 missiles and more than 400 drones. The assault lasted for hours, triggering explosions and fires across multiple neighborhoods in Kyiv.
Kyiv police said the drones struck eight districts across the capital. Drone debris slammed into the roof of a residential building in Shevchenkivskyi district, while additional fires were reported in Podilsky and other central areas.
“Residential buildings, vehicles, warehouses, offices all burning,” Kyiv city administration head Tymur Tkachenko wrote on Telegram.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko confirmed two fatalities: a 68-year-old woman and a 22-year-old police officer killed near a metro station. He said rescue operations were ongoing. A primary health center in Podilsky district was also destroyed.
Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko urged residents to remain indoors and close their windows due to the thick smoke blanketing the city. Residents reported hearing drones for over three hours before the air raid sirens were lifted shortly before dawn.
The attack comes just two nights after Ukraine faced what officials described as the largest Russian airstrike of the war so far. On Tuesday, 728 drones and 13 cruise or ballistic missiles hit cities across Ukraine. That strike left widespread damage, mostly in the east and south.
Ukraine’s Air Force said it intercepted some drones, but damage from falling debris caused many of the fires. The full extent of the destruction in other regions has not yet been confirmed.
Russia has not publicly commented on the latest strike.
Ukrainian emergency officials also reported late Wednesday that three people were killed in an earlier Russian airstrike in the frontline town of Kostiantynivka.
Speaking Thursday morning, Zelensky accused Russia of intensifying its campaign of terror. “Russia is clearly escalating its aggression. We must respond faster with sanctions and support. The world must act now,” he said.
Zelensky announced plans to discuss immediate financial support for Ukraine’s drone and air defense production with international partners later in the day.
Elsewhere in the capital, a shopping mall sustained structural damage from falling debris, according to eyewitness reports. Photos from the scene showed shattered windows, smoke, and charred debris strewn across nearby sidewalks.
As civilian attacks increase, hope for peace talks has all but faded.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Wednesday that diplomatic efforts had hit a wall. The Kremlin echoed that position earlier in the week, signaling no shift in Moscow’s posture.
In Washington, President Donald Trump expressed frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “We get a lot of nonsense from Putin friendly words that mean nothing,” Trump said. The two leaders have held multiple private conversations since January, but none have produced a breakthrough.
A bipartisan U.S. bill currently under review would penalize countries still buying Russian oil, including China and India. Trump indicated possible support but has not endorsed the measure publicly.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov later Thursday at a summit in Malaysia. Talks are likely to focus on sanctions, oil trade, and military escalation.
With diplomacy stalled, Kyiv’s allies are redirecting focus toward strengthening Ukraine’s defenses.
A major international conference opens Thursday in Rome, with delegates from 77 countries gathering to discuss Ukraine’s recovery and airspace protection. Discussions are expected to include Ukraine’s urgent need for interceptor drones, anti-missile systems, and rapid weapons production.
Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, waves of missile and drone attacks have killed thousands and severely damaged civilian infrastructure.
Thursday’s attack adds to a growing toll and signals what could be another violent summer in Ukraine’s capital.
About the Author
