Russia launches heavy attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities – deaths and injuries reported

According to authorities, projectiles also struck outside the capital. In the port city of Odesa and in Kharkiv, the country's second-largest city, explosions occurred after midnight. Local administrations spoke of collapsed residential buildings, damaged energy infrastructure, and injured people in several districts. Exact casualty figures were not yet available in the morning.

Reactions from Kyiv and Moscow

President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attacks and expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. In a statement circulated on social media, he accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure and called on the international community to respond more forcefully. He also announced additional protective measures for the affected regions.

Ukraine's air force stated that dozens of cruise missiles and combat drones of various types had been launched during the night. According to the report, numerous targets were neutralized by air defense systems, anti-aircraft fire and electronic jamming measures. Nevertheless, authorities in Kyiv, Odesa and Kharkiv recorded impacts that caused property damage and casualties.

Possible background to the attacks

Moscow said the strikes were directed exclusively at facilities with military connections. Ukraine rejected this account and pointed to hits in residential areas, on hospitals, and on a damaged substation that temporarily cut parts of the Kharkiv region off from the power grid.

The shelling follows a pattern that Ukrainian authorities have been observing for months: massive, nationwide attack waves during nighttime hours, in which drones and missiles are deployed in combination to overwhelm air defenses and hit as many targets as possible simultaneously. International observers speak of a continuing escalation in aerial warfare.

International reactions

Aid organizations in Kyiv set up provisional support points. The city administration urged the population to take shelter and to report any suspicious objects to the emergency services immediately. At the same time, investigations into the exact number of victims and the extent of the property damage were under way.

In diplomatic circles, meanwhile, a special session was being demanded. Several European capitals condemned the attacks and announced further sanctions as well as additional military aid for Ukraine. An official statement from the United Nations had not yet been issued at the time of reporting.