Russia launched one of its most extensive overnight assaults on Kyiv, firing hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles that struck residential buildings and killed at least 18 people, with more than 90 others wounded, according to Ukrainian officials and Reuters.
The attack, which tore through apartment buildings and caused widespread destruction, has been described by Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Nations as the "most horrific night for Kyiv since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion."
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 74 missiles and 496 drones. The number of ballistic missiles was unusually high, with a low interception rate due to ongoing shortages of air defense systems, including Patriot missiles.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who cut short a visit to Ireland to return to Ukraine, stated that damage was reported at more than 20 sites across the capital. "Air defence supplies for Ukraine are an absolute and critical priority," Zelenskyy said.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko declared Friday a day of mourning for the city of approximately 3 million people. Emergency crews worked through rubble, searching for people trapped in damaged residential buildings.
Amidst the destruction, Ukraine's U.N. ambassador called for Russia to be removed from its permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council, stating, "Russia should be treated for what it has become: a pariah state."
The European Union’s ambassador to Ukraine noted that Russia "unleashed hell on Kyiv" and hit diplomatic accommodation, though no diplomats were injured.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed the "massive attack" targeted military and energy facilities, as well as airports, in retaliation for Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian territory. Ukraine reported hitting an oil refinery in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region.
The Kremlin stated that President Vladimir Putin was briefed on the attacks and that Moscow would continue to increase pressure on Ukraine to achieve its war aims.
In response to the heightened attacks, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas indicated she would propose new sanctions targeting entities that support Russia’s military-industrial complex. "The more Moscow attacks civilians, the more sanctions must be imposed," she stated.
Poland, a neighboring NATO and EU member, scrambled fighter jets as a precautionary measure. Finland also implemented a temporary aviation restriction zone in the eastern Gulf of Finland. Romanian officials reported detecting Russian drones near their border, prompting a NATO air-policing response.
Russia has conducted numerous strikes on Ukrainian cities since its full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Moscow maintains that attacks on what it calls civil infrastructure are legitimate as they impact Ukraine's ability to wage war, a claim it uses to deny intentionally targeting civilians.