Kyiv hit by major Russian missile and drone strike as death toll rises to at least eight

Kyiv was hit overnight by a major Russian missile and drone attack that killed at least eight people and injured 25, according to city officials. Several neighbourhoods were evacuated as strikes hit buildings across the Ukrainian capital, and fires broke out at multiple locations. The attack came hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia was preparing a "massive" strike.

Sponsored

Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said the dead included civilians and that children were among those hurt. He said there was "very serious damage" and a significant number of casualties. Damage was also reported at an ambulance station, where at least one person was critically injured, while tracer fire from air defences and explosions from drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles were seen and heard across the city.

The strike is the first large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine in more than two weeks, underlining the continuing vulnerability of Kyiv despite its distance from the front line. Poland activated fighter jets as a preventative measure to protect its airspace, saying the move was intended to secure areas near the threatened regions. There were no reports of attacks on Polish territory.

The attack also highlights the wider regional risks created by long-range strikes on Ukraine's capital. Poland is a member of Nato, and precautionary airspace measures have become part of the response pattern when Russian missiles and drones are launched toward western Ukraine. For Kyiv, repeated attacks on residential areas and emergency infrastructure add pressure on rescue services and deepen the humanitarian toll on civilians.

Sponsored

The latest strike follows a period of heightened warning from Ukrainian officials. Zelensky cut short a visit to Dublin after saying fresh intelligence suggested Moscow was planning an attack, and he urged people to protect themselves, their children and their families. He said Russian President Vladimir Putin had been preparing the strike for some time.

What remains unclear is the full scale of damage across Kyiv and whether the casualty figures will rise further as rescue work continues. It is also not yet known how many drones and missiles were launched or intercepted. Further official updates are expected as emergency teams assess the affected buildings and authorities review the impact of the attack.

Kyiv was struck overnight by ballistic missiles and drones, with city authorities confirming at least two people were killed and 11 others injured. Fires broke out at a hotel and at apartment buildings in the Ukrainian capital, while residents moved into underground shelters as explosions were heard across the city. The attack hit central and residential areas and added to the pressure on emergency services already responding to multiple sites.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the roof of a hotel on Shevchenko Boulevard caught fire early on Thursday, and later reported that a nine-storey residential building had been damaged. He also said the roof of another high-rise apartment building was on fire. Ukrainian officials said the city was under attack from ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, and journalists in the capital reported hearing more than a dozen explosions as air defences responded.

Sponsored

The latest figures mark an increase from earlier reports of injuries alone, with city authorities later confirming the deaths. People were also reported trapped inside a damaged residential building, underlining the scale of the disruption in a densely populated part of the capital. The attack came just hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia was preparing a "massive" strike and urged people to take shelter.

The strike matters because it again shows how Ukraine's capital remains a frontline target in the war, despite being far from the main combat zones. Kyiv has repeatedly faced missile and drone attacks since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, and such strikes often force civilians into shelters and emergency crews into prolonged rescue work. The attack also has wider regional implications, as neighbouring states have previously taken precautionary airspace measures when missiles and drones were launched toward the capital.

Zelenskyy said he had intelligence indicating another large attack was imminent and told Ukrainians to be especially careful and protect their families and children. He made the warning during a news conference in Dublin and said he was returning to Ukraine immediately afterwards. His comments reflected the continuing pattern of advance warnings, air raid alerts and overnight strikes that have become a feature of the conflict.

What remains unclear is the full extent of the damage across Kyiv and whether the casualty figures will rise further as rescue work continues. It is also not yet known how many missiles and drones were launched or intercepted. Further official updates are expected as emergency teams assess the affected buildings and authorities review the scale of the attack.

#Kyiv #Ukraine #Russianmissilestrike #droneattack #civiliancasualties