At least nine killed, more than 70 injured in Russia’s attack on Kyiv

At least nine people were killed and more than 70 injured in the deadliest attack on Kyiv this year, as Russia launched a massive overnight assault using missiles and drones, Ukrainian officials confirmed Thursday.

Fires broke out across the city, dozens of buildings were damaged, and rescue workers continued searching for survivors trapped beneath rubble.

The strikes, which hit the Ukrainian capital for six hours overnight, left six children among the wounded and dozens more displaced.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the death toll at nine fatalities. The most severe destruction occurred in the Sviatoshynskyi district, where rescuers remained on site.

“There has been destruction. The search is continuing for people under rubble,” Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.

Mobile phones could still be heard ringing under the debris, authorities said, as climbing specialists and sniffer dogs worked across 13 locations in the capital.

The blast damaged residential buildings, garages, vehicles, and administrative sites, with over 40 fires ignited by the bombardment.

Russia launched 145 drones and 70 missiles, including 11 ballistic missiles, according to Ukraine’s air force. Ukrainian defences intercepted 112 airborne threats, but many still got through.

In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, officials reported 14 drone and 10 missile strikes that damaged a polyclinic, a school, a hotel, and several residential buildings. In Pavlohrad, 14 buildings were damaged, though no injuries were reported.

Zhytomyr region also sustained a secondary strike targeting emergency responders, injuring at least one rescue worker. Ukraine’s state railway confirmed damage to infrastructure in Kyiv and Kharkiv but said train services remained operational.

Zelenskyy, who was scheduled to be in South Africa today, condemned the attack on X (formerly Twitter).

The attacks come amid international pressure on both Kyiv and Moscow to make progress on peace talks, with U.S. President Donald Trump threatening to withdraw from mediation efforts.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the strikes “brutal” and accused Russia of obstructing peace efforts.

Meanwhile, a diplomatic summit in London suffered a setback after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio withdrew at the last moment.

Trump appeared to fault Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for the impasse, following Zelenskiy’s refusal to cede Crimea to Russia as part of a peace deal.

As search operations continued, Kyiv resident Viktoria Bakal recounted the chaos: “We didn’t even have time to dress. One blast came after the other. All windows and doors were blown out.”