Deadly Strikes in Multiple Districts
A mass drone and missile attack by Russia on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, killed one person and injured 31 others on Thursday, local authorities reported. The overnight strikes hit six districts of Kyiv, with damage to residential buildings and civilian infrastructure, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's Military Administration. Rescue operations are ongoing, with emergency workers searching for survivors in the rubble.
Residential Areas Targeted
A multistory residential building in Kyiv's Darnytsia district partially collapsed, trapping people. Ukraine's Emergency Service rescued at least 27 people from the rubble. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that 18 apartments were destroyed and that water supply was disrupted on the left bank of the city. Resident Lyudmila Hlushko, 78, reported hearing explosions and rockets around 3 a.m., followed by a violent shaking of her house and broken glass.
Escalation of Aerial Attacks
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia had launched more than 1,560 drones against Ukraine since Wednesday. Overnight, Moscow launched more than 670 attack drones and 56 missiles, according to Zelensky. Air defense units shot down 41 missiles and 652 drones.
International Response and Concerns
The recent attacks coincide with US President Donald Trump's visit to China and raise concerns about disrupting the overall political atmosphere, according to Zelensky. He emphasized the importance of international support for Ukraine and condemned Russia's actions. Zelensky said Ukraine will send experts to Latvia to assist in building a "multi-layered air defense system against different types of threats."
Broader Impact Across Ukraine
The attacks also targeted the cities of Kremenchuk, Bila Tserkva, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Odesa, according to Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko. Strikes hit railway infrastructure and civilian sites in cities, as well as residential and railway infrastructure in the Dnipro and Kharkiv regions, and energy facilities in the Poltava region, Zelensky said. The Polish army scrambled fighter jets as a preventative measure due to the Russian air strikes in western Ukraine. Slovakia briefly closed its border with Ukraine for security reasons.
Changing Tactics
Serhiy Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukraine's defense minister, noted that the attack involved large numbers of drones moving between 3 and 6 miles from the Belarus border. The aim was to overwhelm Ukraine's air defenses and break through to the western regions, highlighting the evolving use of drones by Moscow.
The attacks serve as a reminder that the war continues unabated, despite President Trump's recent claim that a deal to end the fighting is near.
