Russia launched a massive missile and drone assault on Kyiv overnight, killing at least 15 people and wounding dozens more, Ukrainian officials reported. The barrage targeted residential buildings, a medical facility, and an educational institution across multiple districts of the capital, marking one of the fiercest bombardments of the ongoing war.
Emergency crews worked through the aftermath as the air raid alert persisted into Thursday morning. In the Solomianskyi district, the top two floors of a nine-story residential building were destroyed, sparking fires on other levels. At least 33 people were wounded in the capital, with one additional fatality reported in the surrounding region. Mayor Vitaly Klitschko confirmed damage to a children's hospital, with broken windows and nearby cars set ablaze. An educational institution also sustained damage.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the attack was extensive, with Russia combining various types of missiles and drones to inflict maximum damage on civilian infrastructure. He reiterated his plea for enhanced anti-ballistic defense capabilities, specifically requesting more U.S.-made Patriot interceptors. Zelensky argued that Russia will not seriously consider peace without sufficient air defense, emphasizing that additional missiles are crucial for saving lives.
Kyiv's air force reported that Russia launched dozens of ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic missiles, along with 168 drones. Air defense units successfully intercepted 145 drones and most cruise missiles, but were unable to stop all ballistic trajectory missiles. The strikes hit 12 locations across Kyiv's Darnytskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, and Solomianskyi districts.
President Zelensky highlighted the nation's limited systems capable of intercepting ballistic threats and the constrained supply of missiles for its existing U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems. He noted that while Moscow invests in ballistic missiles, such strikes do not always receive an adequate global response. The FREYJA program, aimed at developing an affordable anti-ballistic missile system by combining Ukrainian missile technology with European industry, was also mentioned as an ongoing effort.
In other regions, drone attacks were reported in Odesa targeting a border crossing with Moldova, and gas infrastructure was hit in the Chernihiv region. The airstrikes also caused power outages for thousands of properties.
Over the past week, Ukraine has experienced intensified attacks across more than a dozen regions, with Russia launching numerous drones, guided aerial bombs, and missiles. Concurrently, Ukraine has increased its long-range strikes on Russian weapons depots and military facilities. These Ukrainian strikes have resulted in casualties in Russia, including at least 16 people killed in two separate attacks this week.