Massive Russian Attack on Kyiv Kills Two, Injures 16
Enet
President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that a large-scale Russian assault struck Kyiv overnight, killing at least two people and injuring 16. The attack involved 18 missiles and roughly 400 drones, primarily targeting the capital.
In Kyiv’s Shevchenkivskyi district, drone debris hit a residential building’s roof, sparking fires across the city, according to local authorities. Air defenses were active for three hours as explosions echoed through the capital. Unverified social media footage showed blasts lighting up the night sky.
This follows Ukraine’s report of Tuesday night’s massive Russian aerial attack, with 728 drones and 13 missiles striking multiple cities. Early Thursday, Kyiv police reported Russian drone strikes across eight districts, with fires damaging homes, vehicles, warehouses, and offices. A 68-year-old woman and a 22-year-old police officer were killed, and a healthcare center in Podilsky district was nearly destroyed, Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said. Residents were urged to shelter and seal windows due to heavy smoke.
Ukraine’s air force reported drone threats in multiple regions overnight, with no immediate reports of casualties outside Kyiv. Russia has not commented on the attack.
Other Developments:
- Three people were killed in a Russian airstrike in Kostiantynivka, eastern Ukraine, on Wednesday.
- The US resumed some weapons shipments to Ukraine, Reuters reported, after a brief halt in critical air defense supplies.
- Zelensky called for faster sanctions and weapons production, emphasizing talks with partners on funding for drones and air defenses.
- Diplomatic prospects remain dim, with Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Kremlin’s Dmitry Peskov acknowledging stalled efforts.
- US President Donald Trump expressed frustration with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, dismissing his rhetoric as “meaningless.” Despite regular contact, no ceasefire progress has been made.
- A bipartisan US bill targeting countries buying Russian oil and gas is under consideration, with Trump open to supporting it.
Europe is preparing new sanctions, and Ukraine’s recovery will be discussed at a Rome conference starting Thursday, attended by 77 countries.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are set to meet on the sidelines of a Malaysia summit.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, and drone attacks continue to escalate, raising concerns about Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.
