Major Russian Attack Includes Rare Strikes on Central Kyiv, Killing at Least 19

Major Russian Attack Includes Rare Strikes on Central Kyiv, Killing at Least 19

Kyiv, Ukraine — A wave of Russian missile and drone attacks struck Ukraine early Friday, with rare and devastating strikes hitting the heart of Kyiv. Ukrainian officials said at least 19 people were killed and more than 60 wounded in one of the deadliest assaults on the capital in months.

Strikes in the City Center

The attacks came during the morning rush hour, sending civilians scrambling for shelter as explosions shook central neighborhoods. Residential buildings, offices, and a busy intersection near Independence Square were among the hardest hit. Ukraine’s interior ministry reported that emergency crews were still pulling victims from the rubble as of Friday afternoon.

“It was chaos,” said Olha, a Kyiv resident who witnessed a missile strike near her apartment block. “People were screaming, cars were burning, and windows shattered everywhere. I’ve lived through two years of war, but never seen this part of the city hit like this.”

Widening Assault

Ukrainian officials said Friday’s bombardment was part of a larger nationwide assault, with Russian forces firing more than 80 missiles and drones at multiple cities, including Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Odesa. Kyiv’s air defenses intercepted the majority of incoming strikes, but at least four missiles penetrated the capital’s defenses, causing the deadly blasts downtown.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack as “another act of Russian terror,” saying it was deliberately aimed at civilians. He vowed a “strong and proportionate response,” while also calling on Western allies to accelerate air defense support.

Russia’s Position

Moscow has not commented directly on the Kyiv strikes but has insisted in the past that its operations target military and energy infrastructure. The rare strikes in central Kyiv, however, appear to have struck largely civilian areas. Analysts suggested that the attack was intended to send a message of escalation as Ukraine presses its Western partners for more aid.

International Reaction

The White House said President Biden was briefed on the attack and reiterated Washington’s commitment to Ukraine’s defense. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called the strikes “barbaric and unacceptable,” while leaders from Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom renewed calls for providing Kyiv with advanced air defense systems.

“The images out of Kyiv this morning are heartbreaking,” said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “Russia’s deliberate targeting of civilians is a war crime, and the world must respond with unity.”

Humanitarian Impact

Hospitals in Kyiv reported being overwhelmed with wounded, and several schools in the capital were ordered closed indefinitely. City officials urged residents to remain near shelters in anticipation of more strikes.

For many in Kyiv, the attack was a grim reminder that even the capital’s central districts — which had seen relative calm for months — remain within Russia’s reach.

“We thought the worst had passed for Kyiv,” said Serhiy, a shop owner near the blast site. “But today showed us that nowhere is safe.”