Russian forces launched a massive attack on Kyiv early Friday, killing four people and injuring 27. Fires erupted, and multiple residential buildings suffered severe damage. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said rescue crews could not retrieve two bodies from the rubble as they continued searching for victims.
Emergency workers treated 27 injured civilians, including nine hospitalized individuals and a pregnant woman. Among the victims, two children aged seven and ten required urgent care. Ukrainian authorities warned that power and water disruptions could occur.
President Condemns Deliberate Assault
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack as a deliberate attempt to inflict maximum harm on civilians and infrastructure. He reported that Russia fired 430 drones and 18 missiles, including ballistic and aeroballistic types. Explosions triggered air raid alerts across Kyiv and nearby districts.
The assault struck at least 11 multi-storey residential buildings. In the Shevchenkivskyi and Holosiivskyi districts, debris caused fires near a medical facility and inside a nonresidential building. Officials urged citizens to stay in shelters until alerts ended.
Russian Advances Pressure Ukraine
Russian strikes also damaged homes and essential infrastructure in surrounding areas, injuring at least six people. In Bila Tserkva, a 55-year-old man suffered thermal burns and required hospitalization, regional head Mykola Kalashnyk reported. Ukraine’s Air Force confirmed attacks across multiple regions.
Russian forces continue gaining ground in southern Ukraine, forcing Ukrainian troops to withdraw from villages in Zaporizhzhia. Over the past month, Russia captured several settlements in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv regions. Analysts note that Russia’s siege of Pokrovsk progresses slowly as commanders spread forces thin. Despite these advances, Ukraine maintains control over most strategic areas.
