A overnight Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv has killed at least twelve people, including three children aged 2, 14, and 17, according to the city’s military administration. The assault, which targeted the Ukrainian capital, has left a trail of destruction, with residential buildings, a kindergarten, and a high-rise apartment block among the structures hit.
Kyiv military administration head, Timur Tkachenko, stated on Telegram that rescue operations are ongoing across multiple sites. “The Russians are cynically hitting residential buildings,” he wrote, reporting that a five-story apartment block in the Darnytskyi district suffered a direct hit and was completely destroyed from the fifth to the first floor. Fires also broke out at a kindergarten and a residential high-rise in other districts.
Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko confirmed that three people have been pulled alive from the rubble, but there is a high probability more remain trapped. Approximately 500 rescue workers and 1,000 police officers are involved in the operation, utilizing canine units, climbing teams, psychologists, and robotic equipment to clear debris. The minister added that body fragments have been recovered but identification is difficult. The number of injured in the capital stands at nearly 50.
In a separate attack on the city of Zaporizhzhia, a Russian strike on an industrial enterprise triggered a large fire, though no casualties were immediately reported. Additionally, Ukrainian state railway company Ukrzaliznytsia reported a targeted attack on its fleet of Intercity+ high-speed passenger trains.
International condemnation was swift after the EU delegation’s building in Kyiv was damaged in the assaults. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos and European Council President Antonio Costa condemned the attack on the diplomatic mission as a clear signal Russia is choosing terror over peace. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed all EU staff were safe but called for Russia to cease its indiscriminate attacks and join negotiations. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola echoed these sentiments, stating the attacks derided peace efforts.
Commenting on the attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated, “Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table.” He characterized the missile barrage as a direct response to those calling for a ceasefire and expressed an expectation of a reaction from countries like China and Hungary, who have publicly called for peace.