Kyiv: Russian missile attacks in Ukraine have struck Kyiv and other regions, causing significant casualties and damage, Ukrainian officials said.
At least 23 people have been killed in the capital, and rescue operations have continued into the night, while 63 others were wounded in one of the largest assaults on the city in recent months.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the attacks, the second-largest since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, targeted civilians and infrastructure instead of military objectives. The strikes damaged EU and British Council offices, as well as a Turkish enterprise and the Azerbaijan embassy, though no casualties were reported at these locations.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that former US President Donald Trump was aware of the attacks, calling them deadly yet unsurprising given the ongoing conflict. US special envoy Keith Kellogg said that Russia had aimed at residential areas, civilian trains, and diplomatic sites.
Across Ukraine, Russian forces targeted 13 locations, including energy facilities, causing power cuts. Ukrainian air defences intercepted 563 of nearly 600 drones and 26 of 31 missiles, while Russian defences claimed to destroy 102 Ukrainian drones in at least seven regions. Ukraine’s drone force reportedly hit the Afipsky and Kuybyshevskyi oil refineries during retaliatory strikes.
European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the missile attacks, describing them as deliberate attempts to terrorize civilians and foreign missions. She confirmed that two missiles struck near the EU office in quick succession. The EU is preparing its 19th sanctions package against Russia and exploring ways to use frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer denounced the assault on the British Council, emphasising that Russia is targeting civilians and undermining peace efforts. Zelenskiy has also discussed security guarantees with Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan, which are expected to be formalised next week.
The escalation comes amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the war, with recent summits involving Trump, Zelenskiy, and Putin failing to yield significant progress.
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