Kyiv: Four civilians were killed and dozens more injured as waves of missiles and drones struck Kyiv, with authorities describing the attack as one of the most intense recent bombardments on the Ukrainian capital.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the city endured a ‘terrible night,’ confirming damage across all districts, including residential buildings, schools, supermarkets and warehouses. Emergency crews were deployed to multiple sites to extinguish fires, clear debris and rescue trapped residents.
Officials said three children were among the injured, while rescue operations continued through the morning as teams searched damaged buildings. In the Shevchenko district, one person was killed after a nine-storey residential building was struck, causing a fire on the upper floors. In another incident, debris from a nearby strike blocked access to a school air raid shelter, temporarily trapping civilians inside before emergency responders intervened.
Since last night, first responders and all necessary services have been working wherever needed. As of now, at least 83 people have been confirmed injured since midnight. Tragically, there are fatalities. My condolences to the families and loved ones.
It was a heavy attack – 90… pic.twitter.com/KSB4IoxQaE
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 24, 2026
Kyiv authorities reported more than 40 separate strike locations across the city, with fires breaking out in apartment blocks and commercial facilities. Two additional deaths were confirmed in the wider Kyiv region. The head of Kyiv’s military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, said the city faced a massive ballistic attack, warning that further launches remained possible.
The strikes come amid escalating rhetoric between Moscow and Kyiv. Russian President Vladimir Putin had recently vowed retaliation following accusations that Ukraine carried out a deadly attack in Russian-occupied territory.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had earlier warned that intelligence indicated Russia was preparing a combined strike involving advanced missile systems, though there is no confirmation that any new long-range weapons were used in this attack. Emergency services remain active across Kyiv as authorities continue assessing the full scale of destruction.
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