- Russian aerial assault killed 27, injured 91 across Kyiv.
- Zelenskyy blamed delayed Western air defense systems for casualties.
- Russia called strikes retaliation, vowing to continue military operations.
- Widespread destruction prompted calls for more international sanctions.
Russia unleashed one of its most devastating aerial assaults on Ukraine’s capital early Thursday, killing at least 27 people, injuring 91 others and leaving widespread destruction across Kyiv in what officials described as the deadliest attack on the city this year.
Hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles struck multiple parts of the capital overnight, triggering repeated explosions that sent residents rushing into bomb shelters and metro stations. Thick plumes of smoke blanketed the skyline as emergency crews battled fires and searched through collapsed buildings, Reuters reported.
The latest death toll rose after an injured victim died in hospital, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration.
Rescue efforts remained underway at several locations, with authorities warning that the number of casualties could increase. “Rescue crews will work without interruption until all the debris is cleared,” Tkachenko wrote on Telegram. “Unfortunately, more victims may still be found.”
He added that five bodies had been recovered from one heavily damaged site on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, while eight residents were still missing.
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Zelenskyy Blames Air Defence Delays
The attack left destruction across large parts of the Ukrainian capital, damaging nearly 130 buildings. Officials said the scale of the devastation was among the worst witnessed in Kyiv since Russia launched its full-scale invasion more than four years ago.
The previous deadliest strike on the city this year occurred in May, when 24 people were killed.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who cut short an official visit to Ireland to return home, visited a residential building that had been partially destroyed in the bombardment.
The Ukrainian leader blamed delays in receiving promised Western air defence systems for the heavy loss of life, Reuters reported.
“If our partners had delivered on their promises in a timely manner, I think we could have saved more homes and lives today,” Zelenskyy said. “All we ask of our partners is simply to do what we’ve agreed on. We’re not even asking for more.”
Later, in his nightly address, he said strengthening Ukraine’s air defences would be “one of the key outcomes” sought at next week’s NATO summit in Turkey.
“If, of course, NATO still means anything to the allies,” he said. “Europe must have its own sufficient capability to defend against all types of threats, including this one – from Russian ballistic missiles.”
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Russia Claims Military Targets Hit
According to the report, Ukraine’s Air Force said that Russia launched 74 missiles and 496 drones during the overnight offensive. Air Force spokesperson Yuri Ihnat said the number of ballistic missiles used was unusually high and that Ukraine intercepted fewer projectiles than usual amid shortages of Patriot interceptor missiles.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said the “massive attack” employed long-range precision weapons launched from air, land and sea, along with drones, targeting military infrastructure, energy facilities and airports in Kyiv and other regions.
Moscow described the strikes as retaliation for recent Ukrainian drone attacks inside Russia. Ukraine, meanwhile, said it struck an oil refinery in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region overnight. Regional authorities there reported one person killed after an industrial facility was hit.
The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin had been briefed by military commanders and indicated that Russia would continue intensifying operations to achieve its military objectives, the report noted.
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Kyiv Declares Day Of Mourning
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced Friday as a day of mourning following the attack.
Authorities said children, paramedics and ambulance station staff were among those injured.
The Ukrainian Red Cross reported that its humanitarian warehouse in Kyiv had been destroyed, with approximately 320,000 relief items lost.
EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova said accommodation used by diplomatic personnel had also been struck, although no diplomats were injured.
The attack prompted neighbouring Poland, a NATO member, to temporarily scramble fighter jets as a precaution, while Finland briefly imposed an aviation restriction zone over the eastern Gulf of Finland.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the attacks, with spokesperson Stephane Dujarric describing them as part of a “deadly pattern” of strikes on populated areas.
Zelenskyy reiterated that he remains open to peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, although the Kremlin has rejected the proposal. He also said Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators had held discussions over the past two days and expressed hope of meeting U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the upcoming NATO summit.
