In a significant escalation of hostilities, Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles and drones on Kyiv early Monday, resulting in the deaths of at least nine individuals and injuries to 46 others, including five children, as reported by Ukrainian officials. Rescue operations are ongoing, with authorities cautioning that the death toll could rise as efforts continue to locate survivors.
The overnight offensive inflicted substantial damage on residential areas throughout the Ukrainian capital. Emergency services reported that at least 15 apartment buildings were either damaged or destroyed. Among the hardest-hit areas was a nine-story residential block in Kyiv’s Podilskyi district, where rescue teams are actively working to extricate those trapped under the debris. Additionally, another fatality was confirmed in the Bucha district, situated northwest of Kyiv.
Russia’s Defense Ministry acknowledged conducting what it termed a “massive” strike using long-range missiles and drones. The ministry asserted that the attack was aimed at military, energy, and airfield infrastructure in Kyiv and several other Ukrainian regions. This assault follows closely on the heels of another significant Russian strike that claimed the lives of at least 27 people in Kyiv, marking one of the city’s deadliest incidents this year.
Amidst these developments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that combat operations persist in the vicinity of the strategic town of Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region. Zelenskyy refuted Russian claims that the town had been captured, emphasizing the ongoing resistance and determination of Ukrainian forces in the area.