Russia launched a deadly barrage of missiles and drones on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, in the early hours of Thursday, striking deep into the city centre and killing at least 14 people, including four children. Dozens more were injured as explosions lit up the sky and smoke billowed over several districts.
It was the first major combined assault on Kyiv in weeks, underscoring the persistence of battlefield violence even as global powers try to jumpstart faltering peace talks.
According to Ukrainian officials, Moscow deployed ballistic and cruise missiles alongside Iranian-made Shahed drones in a coordinated strike that tore through residential areas. A five-storey building collapsed in the Darnytskyi district, while a shopping mall in central Kyiv was hit.
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Residents scrambled for safety underground. About 100 people huddled in a subway station — some with pets in tow, others wrapped in blankets and sleeping bags.
Vitali Klitschko, Kyiv’s mayor, confirmed multiple hits across the capital. Tracer fire arced across the night sky as Ukrainian defences tried to shoot down incoming projectiles. At least one missile was intercepted over the city centre.
“This is what Russia does when it feels no consequences,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address, blaming Moscow for deliberately targeting civilians.
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In Moscow, officials claimed they had repelled a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack overnight, saying more than 100 drones were destroyed. One strike reportedly set ablaze an oil refinery in the southern Krasnodar region, though no casualties were reported.
The Kremlin has steadily pushed forward on the battlefield in recent months, claiming incremental gains, while maintaining pressure on Ukraine’s overstretched defences.
The renewed bombardment came as international mediation efforts show little progress. United States president Donald Trump earlier this month hosted Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska for direct talks, followed by meetings with Zelensky and European leaders in Washington.
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Zelensky announced that Ukrainian and US officials will meet again in New York on Friday. But he admitted there were “arrogant and negative signals from Moscow regarding the negotiations,” urging Western partners to increase pressure on Russia to take “real steps” towards peace.
