At least nine people were killed and 30 others injured after Russia launched a large-scale overnight barrage of ballistic missiles and drones on Kyiv, Ukrainian authorities said on Saturday.
The latest assault came just two days after another major Russian attack that left at least 10 people dead and more than 50 wounded across Ukraine, underscoring the intensifying pace of Moscow’s aerial campaign as Kyiv faces dwindling supplies of Western-provided air defense interceptors.
The continuing wave of attacks has further diminished hopes for a diplomatic resolution to Russia’s more than four-year war against Ukraine.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces carried out a “massive strike” targeting what it described as Ukrainian military-industrial facilities and logistics centers in Kyiv.
Ukrainian officials, however, said residential neighborhoods were among the areas hit during the overnight assault.
In Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district, debris from intercepted missiles damaged a five-story apartment building and sparked a fire. Emergency responders evacuated 35 residents from the upper floors of the building.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said two people were killed and eight others injured in the incident, including two children.
The deadliest impact occurred in Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district, where seven people lost their lives and 14 others were injured after explosions ignited fires and damaged homes, vehicles, administrative offices and other buildings.
Emergency crews also extinguished a fire at a non-residential building in the capital’s Shevchenkivskyi district.
Officials did not immediately provide further information regarding earlier reports that people may have been trapped inside another residential building in the district.
Rescue teams continued clearing debris and searching damaged structures on Saturday as authorities assessed the full extent of the destruction.
The renewed missile and drone offensive highlights Russia’s sustained pressure on Ukraine’s air defenses, which have come under increasing strain amid continued attacks targeting cities and critical infrastructure across the country.
