Putin Marks 74th Birthday with Major Missile Barrage on Kyiv

Vladimir Putin marked his 74th birthday on Wednesday with a significant missile attack on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, killing two people and leaving the city in a state of fear, according to local officials. The offensive followed an warning from President Volodymyr Zelensky of impending 'massive strikes' on the city.

Kyiv has experienced a surge in attacks as winter approaches, with air raid sirens frequently sounding to alert residents to incoming Russian assaults. Many sought refuge in subway stations, carrying essential supplies. Iryna Rybalchenko, a bank worker, described the atmosphere, stating, "The whole of Kyiv is in a state of fear. We were stuck at work today and everyone - our group chats, our bosses - were messaging us to be careful."

The Russian defense ministry claimed its forces executed a "massive strike" targeting military-industrial facilities in Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions. The ministry stated that high-precision land-, sea-, and air-launched weapons, along with drones, were employed. Specific targets included sites where Fire Point company produces and stores Flamingo cruise missiles and drones, as well as infrastructure in other regions like Chernihiv, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, and Kharkiv.

In the Odesa region, strikes targeted port and ship-repair infrastructure, along with vessels allegedly used by Ukraine's armed forces. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that two individuals died in a fire in the Darnytskyi neighborhood resulting from the attack. "The bodies of two people who had been killed were found," he stated on Telegram, adding that two people were rescued during firefighting efforts.

Earlier, President Zelensky had urged residents to be vigilant for air raid sirens, noting in his nightly address that intelligence indicated Russia was preparing a "massive strike." He asserted that the military was "ready to respond, to the extent that our defence systems allow."

Shortly after Zelensky's address, scheduled power cuts were implemented in parts of Kyiv to alleviate pressure on the national grid. The Ukrainian air force had also issued a warning about a ballistic missile heading toward Kyiv.

Military monitoring channels also anticipated a large-scale Russian assault, combining cruise and ballistic missiles with fast-moving drones. Daria Medvedeva, 36, shared her experience: "The children were absolutely terrified. Whenever there's heavy shelling, we try to head underground."

In the Sumy Oblast region to the northeast, Russian drone attacks resulted in the deaths of two men and injured scores of people, including three children aged seven, 14, and 16, who were hurt when an apartment was hit, according to the National Police of Ukraine.

Last week, Kyiv's mayor had cautioned that the capital should operate on a war footing due to intensified strikes on bridges and energy infrastructure. Ukraine's military had also alerted authorities to a ballistic missile en route to Zaporizhzhia in the southeast, where an attack reportedly damaged transport infrastructure.