Kyiv woke up to devastation after one of the deadliest nights of Russian attacks in recent weeks. At least 14 people, including three children, were killed when missiles and drones slammed into residential areas across the city. Dozens more were injured.
Rescue teams worked through the rubble in the Darnytskyi district, where a block of flats collapsed in the early hours of the morning. Families were still unaccounted for as emergency crews searched for survivors.
The youngest victims were just two, 14, and 17 years old. Kyiv’s mayor has declared a day of mourning, calling the strikes a “barbaric attack.”
Residents described the terror of the night.
> “I was sleeping in bed when I heard the explosion. I could see the missiles through my window,” said Aliona, a 31-year-old who lives near one of the destroyed buildings. “I’m scared, but I don’t want to leave. This is my city. This is my home.”
The strikes also damaged offices, cultural institutions, and even parts of the EU and British Council buildings in the capital. Across other regions of Ukraine, artillery fire and drone attacks claimed more lives, including elderly residents in Kherson.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military struck back, claiming drone attacks on Russian oil refineries in Krasnodar and Samara. Fires broke out at some facilities, while Russian authorities said they intercepted over 100 Ukrainian drones overnight.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Moscow’s actions, saying Russia had once again chosen “ballistics instead of the negotiating table.” He called on international allies to impose tougher sanctions and provide stronger guarantees of security.
The attacks came just as diplomatic talks were gaining momentum. The US, European leaders, and Russia have all been pushing for renewed peace negotiations, with a planned meeting between Ukrainian and American officials set to take place in New York this week.
For Kyiv’s residents, though, the reality is stark. Days in the capital often feel almost normal, with people working, socializing, and carrying on with daily life. But nights bring fear—sirens, drones, and the thunder of missile strikes remind everyone that the war is far from over.