Missile and Drone Assaults on Kyiv Result in Fatalities and Injuries
Russia launched a significant missile and drone offensive on Kyiv early Thursday morning, resulting in at least nine fatalities and over 60 injuries, according to Ukrainian officials. This represents the most lethal attack on the Ukrainian capital since last summer. The city was filled with the sounds of explosions through the night, and as dawn broke, brown smoke billowed over the skyline. A missile struck a two-story apartment building, prompting rescue teams to search for survivors. Nearby, a five-story building had all its windows shattered. Residents gathered outside, making phone calls to reassure loved ones of their safety. Notably, no military installations were visible in the vicinity. Svitlana Vodolaha, an emergency service spokeswoman, announced to the media at 8:30 a.m. local time that they had successfully rescued another survivor, who was still alive.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that nearly 70 missiles, including ballistic ones, along with 150 attack drones, were deployed in assaults across the nation, with Kyiv bearing the brunt of the attack. “It’s crucial for the global community to see and comprehend what’s truly occurring,” Zelensky emphasized in a social media update. He announced that he would shorten his visit to South Africa to return to Ukraine, following a meeting with the South African president.
The strike on Kyiv is among the deadliest of the conflict, not surpassed since last July when Russian missiles claimed the lives of 41 individuals, razing a children’s hospital in Kyiv and resulting in 21 additional deaths citywide. Other recent deadly missile barrages have targeted the cities of Sumy and Kryvyi Rih. This escalation comes at a pivotal juncture in the war, which commenced with Russia’s comprehensive invasion in February 2022. Over Easter, a temporary armistice declared by Russian President Vladimir V. Putin appeared more a public relations maneuver than an actual cessation of hostilities on the battlefront, although it coincided with a pause in missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities.
On Wednesday, scheduled peace negotiations in London were downgraded, primarily because of the United States’ decision to abstain. Since January, the Trump administration has paralleled Kremlin narratives regarding the war and Ukraine, contrasting with previous U.S. policies. Throughout the past week, the Trump administration has consistently threatened to withdraw from the peace efforts. Furthermore, President Trump, accompanied by senior advisers, has insisted that Kyiv accept a U.S.-conceived proposal that would ostensibly cede all wartime acquired territories to Russia, providing Kyiv only vague promises concerning the nation’s future security. President Zelensky has so far declined such terms for peace.