Kyiv Reels as Russian Strikes Kill 14, Injure 40 in Major Attack

In what has been described as one of the most harrowing assaults on Ukraine’s capital in recent months, waves of Russian drones and missiles struck Kyiv overnight, leaving at least 14 civilians dead and more than 40 others wounded.

The coordinated aerial bombardment, which lasted nearly nine hours, ignited fires across multiple districts and left parts of the city cloaked in dense black smoke by morning. According to Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, 27 separate sites across the capital were hit—including residential complexes, educational institutions, and key infrastructure facilities.

"Today, the enemy spared neither drones nor missiles," Klymenko stated from the scene. “A ballistic missile struck a nine-storey residential building in the Solomianskyi district, completely obliterating one section. We have over 2,000 personnel—rescuers, police, and medics—on the ground, combing through the rubble for survivors.”

Among the casualties was a 62-year-old U.S. citizen, confirmed by both Klymenko and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. The man reportedly succumbed to shrapnel injuries while inside his residence, situated directly across from one of the impact zones.

Eyewitness accounts painted a chilling picture of the chaos that unfolded during the night. Residents described the ominous whine of incoming drones, the staccato bursts of anti-aircraft fire, and the deafening explosions as missiles struck.

“It’s horrible, it’s scary,” said 49-year-old Olena Lapyshniak, whose apartment was nearly leveled by the strike. “In one moment, there is no life. There’s no military base here, no target—just homes. It’s terrifying when people die like this in their sleep.”

The Kyiv City Military Administration confirmed that many of the casualties occurred in the Sviatoshynskyi and Solomianskyi districts. Fires broke out in at least two additional neighborhoods due to falling debris from intercepted drones.

In a statement, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack as “one of the most terrifying strikes on Kyiv” since the war began. He revealed that Russia had unleashed over 440 drones and 32 missiles on Ukraine during the course of the night.

“Putin is doing this simply because he can afford to continue the war,” Zelenskyy said. “He wants it to go on. It is deeply disturbing when the world’s most powerful nations turn a blind eye.”

The timing of the strike coincided with the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada, where Zelenskyy had been scheduled to advocate for tougher sanctions against Russia and appeal for greater international assistance. Although he was expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump during the summit, Trump left abruptly for Washington on Monday night amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

The attack also comes amid ongoing but stalled direct peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow, held most recently in Istanbul. While limited progress has been made on prisoner exchanges and the repatriation of fallen soldiers, broader agreements remain elusive.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s southern port city of Odesa also came under fire, with one person killed and 17 others injured in a separate drone assault.

In retaliation, Russian defense officials claimed to have intercepted and neutralized 147 Ukrainian drones across their own territory overnight, including several directed at the Moscow region.

As search-and-rescue operations continue under the mangled ruins of destroyed residential buildings, officials are bracing for the possibility of additional victims. The city remains under heightened alert as further Russian airstrikes pose a looming threat.