By Emiola Osifeso
Russia pummeled Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, overnight in what officials described as one of the most “massive” attacks in months, killing at least four people and injuring more than 30 others.
The strikes, which began just after midnight on Thursday, saw missiles and Iranian-made drones raining down on residential areas, igniting fires and tearing through apartment blocks. Kyiv authorities said more than 20 locations across the city were struck.
A five-story residential building in the Darnytskyi district was reduced to rubble. Emergency services reported that residents were buried under collapsed concrete as rescue teams battled through the night to pull out survivors and recover bodies.
“This was not random. It was meant to spread terror,” Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said in a statement after touring some of the wreckage. “Moscow is deliberately targeting civilians.”
Ukraine’s air force said it had managed to shoot down several incoming missiles and drones, but admitted that many others got through. Officials noted that Russia used a coordinated mix of ballistic and cruise missiles alongside Iranian-made Shahed drones.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack in strong terms, calling it “systematic terror.”
“Russia has once again demonstrated its true face. This was a deliberate assault on our people, on our homes, on our right to live. The world must not remain silent,” Zelenskyy said.
He urged Ukraine’s Western allies to “respond with greater strength,” pressing for fresh sanctions against Moscow and accelerated delivery of air defense systems.
“Every delay in support leads to new casualties. We need more protection in our skies, and we need it now,” Zelenskyy added.
Ukraine’s Interior Ministry said at least 40 people were being treated for injuries, including children. Photos shared on social media showed fireballs erupting across the night sky and residential streets littered with debris and broken glass.
Local residents, many of whom had been sleeping when the blasts began, described the night as “a nightmare.” One survivor told Ukrainian media:
“We heard a whistle, then a powerful explosion. The walls shook, windows shattered, and everything was covered in dust. We thought it was the end.”
The strikes come at a time when Russia has intensified its assaults on Ukrainian cities, especially energy and civilian infrastructure, while the war drags into its third year with no sign of a ceasefire.
Kyiv officials have warned that Moscow is trying to break civilian morale ahead of the winter season, when power and heating supplies become critical.
Despite the destruction, Zelenskyy vowed Ukraine would not be cowed.
“We will endure, we will rebuild, and Russia will be held accountable for every life lost,” he said.
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