At least 21 civilians were killed and more than 90 others injured after Russia launched an overnight barrage of drones and missiles on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, in one of the deadliest attacks on the city in recent months.
The assault lasted around 11 hours, with loud explosions rocking the capital as thousands of residents sought shelter in metro stations following air raid warnings. Emergency crews spent the day searching through the rubble of damaged apartment buildings for survivors.
According to Ukrainian officials, more than 30 locations across Kyiv sustained damage, including around 20 residential buildings. Several apartment blocks partially or completely collapsed, trapping residents beneath the debris.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the bombardment as a “night of horror” for the capital.
In the central Dnipropetrovsk region, a separate Russian strike killed a seven-year-old girl and injured four members of her family, local authorities said.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said the attack was carried out in response to recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities and military infrastructure. Moscow claimed its forces targeted military-related sites, including weapons factories, energy facilities and airfield infrastructure.
However, Ukrainian authorities said residential neighbourhoods bore the brunt of the attack. According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia launched 74 missiles and 496 drones during the operation.
The strikes came after Ukraine reportedly targeted one of Russia’s largest oil refineries in the Nizhny Novgorod region, causing a fire. Ukrainian forces also claimed to have struck a railway bridge in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region used to transport military supplies.
Ukrainian officials continue to urge Western allies to provide additional air defence systems, particularly Patriot missile batteries, to strengthen protection against ballistic missile attacks.
The latest escalation comes as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have yet to produce a breakthrough, with both sides continuing long-range attacks deep inside each other’s territory while the war enters another year.