Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has suffered one of the deadliest Russian aerial assaults in recent months after Moscow unleashed a massive overnight barrage of drones and missiles across the country, killing at least seven people, including a 12-year-old girl, and injuring dozens more.
Emergency responders continued pulling bodies from the rubble of a heavily damaged apartment building in Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district on Thursday as fears grew that more than 20 people could still be trapped beneath the debris. Ukrainian officials said the large-scale attack targeted residential neighborhoods and civilian infrastructure, leaving widespread destruction across the capital and other regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that Russia launched more than 670 drones and 56 missiles during the overnight assault, making it one of the largest aerial attacks since the war began in 2022. According to Zelensky, over 180 sites across Ukraine were hit, including more than 50 residential buildings.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that at least 21 people were hospitalized following the strikes, while rescue teams worked around the clock searching for survivors. Ukrainian authorities said more than 1,500 rescuers and police officers were deployed nationwide, with nearly 600 personnel focused on rescue operations in Kyiv alone.
Several victims were recovered from a collapsed section of a nine-storey apartment block. Police identified two male victims aged 21 and 30, while another woman has yet to be identified. Authorities also confirmed the death of a man who was injured during an attack on a petrol station.
Residents described terrifying scenes as explosions shook the city overnight. Witnesses said apartment blocks trembled violently while air raid sirens echoed across Kyiv. Some survivors gathered in temporary shelters wrapped in blankets as emergency crews cleared debris and searched for missing residents.
The attacks also damaged schools, veterinary clinics, water supply systems and other civilian infrastructure. In addition to Kyiv, injuries were reported in the Kyiv region, Kharkiv and Odesa as Russian drones and missiles crossed large parts of Ukrainian airspace.
The renewed bombardment comes just days after a three-day ceasefire brokered by the United States expired earlier this week. Ukraine says Russia resumed heavy attacks immediately after the truce ended, despite earlier suggestions from Russian President Vladimir Putin that the conflict could be nearing an end.
Zelensky condemned the latest assault and urged Ukraine’s allies to strengthen the country’s air defense systems while maintaining sanctions on Moscow. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha also called on U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to pressure Russia into ending the war during their ongoing summit discussions.
Meanwhile, Ukraine was also rocked by political controversy after a Kyiv court ordered the pretrial detention of Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s former chief of staff, over allegations linked to a multimillion-dollar money laundering scheme involving a luxury construction project near Kyiv. Yermak has denied all accusations and vowed to appeal the ruling.