Kyiv, Ukraine – A deadly Russian missile and drone attack struck Ukraine’s capital Kyiv overnight, resulting in the deaths of at least eight individuals and leaving more than 80 others injured, including children, as reported by local officials. The city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, expressed concern over people possibly being trapped under the wreckage of a residential building set ablaze by falling drone debris. Apart from Kyiv, blasts were also reported in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, injuring two individuals, according to the mayor of the city.
Following the attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky decided to cut short his diplomatic visit to South Africa to address the situation in the country. The overnight assault involved around 70 missiles and up to 150 drones, with initial reports indicating nine fatalities in Kyiv before the death toll was revised down to eight by Ukraine’s interior minister. Among the injured were six children and a pregnant woman, as mentioned by Mayor Klitschko in a social media post.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko revealed the chilling sounds of trapped individuals’ phone calls emanating from the wreckage, with two children reported missing and an entire apartment block flattened during the devastating attack. Emergency services, aided by sniffer dogs, continued to search through the rubble for survivors, especially in the worst-hit area of the Svyatoshynskyi district within Kyiv.
The series of strikes on Kyiv were some of the deadliest since July of last year when Russian attacks claimed the lives of 34 individuals and injured 121 others. The latest assault came shortly after accusations by former US President Donald Trump of Zelensky interfering in peace negotiations, which the Ukrainian President denied by reaffirming his rejection of Russia’s control over Crimea. The conflict between the two nations escalated with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Meanwhile, in the city of Kharkiv, situated approximately 40km from the Russian border, two individuals sustained injuries due to the Russian missile and drone assault that damaged several private houses. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned Russia’s actions, asserting that it is Russia, not Ukraine, hindering peace efforts by displaying a disregard for peaceful resolutions and opting to prolong the war. Efforts towards a ceasefire and a resolution to the conflict continue amidst a tense geopolitical climate.