Fires broke out in five districts of Ukraine’s capital after Russia launched dozens of missiles and attack drones overnight, with most of the missile strikes directed at Kyiv.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.
A sustained Russian aerial assault killed one person and wounded 16 others in Kyiv overnight, setting residential and commercial properties on fire across several areas of the Ukrainian capital.
The attack began at approximately 1:30 a.m. local time and continued for hours as repeated explosions were heard throughout the city.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 41 missiles and 125 attack drones nationwide during the overnight operation. The barrage included 25 ballistic missiles, which are among the most difficult weapons for Ukrainian air defenses to intercept.
Ukrainian forces said they intercepted or otherwise suppressed 108 drones and 18 missiles. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the majority of the incoming missiles were aimed at Kyiv.
Emergency crews responded to fires and structural damage in the Sviatoshynskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, Solomyanskyi, Desnianskyi and Dnipro districts, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.
The strikes damaged apartment buildings, offices, industrial properties, a dormitory and multiple vehicles.
Rescue teams pulled four people from a burning private residence in the Sviatoshynskyi district. In Shevchenkivskyi, emergency workers evacuated residents from a three-story building engulfed in flames and contained another fire at a nonresidential property.
One person was later discovered dead.
Firefighters also worked to extinguish blazes in the Solomyanskyi, Desnianskyi and Dnipro districts as crews searched damaged properties and assessed the extent of the destruction.
Kyiv resident Viktoria Shejko, 32, said she sought shelter inside the corridor of her apartment building with her husband and seven children after learning that ballistic missiles were approaching.
“When the alarm started, we checked that there were ballistics, then went into the corridor. Then it started exploding one missile after another,” Shejko said.
She said the increasing frequency of ballistic missile attacks has placed severe emotional strain on residents.
“It’s very difficult psychologically, because lately they’ve been firing ballistic missiles at us very often. It used to be once a week or even more rarely, but now if not every day, then every other day,” she said.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said the assault targeted facilities associated with Ukraine’s military production and logistics network.
The ministry identified plants it said were manufacturing Flamingo drones and components for Neptune guided missiles. It also claimed a postal terminal had been used to store dual-use goods and assemble drones, robotic equipment and electronic warfare systems.
Ukraine has faced a series of large-scale attacks against Kyiv in recent weeks while struggling with shortages of Patriot air-defense interceptors, its most effective weapons for destroying incoming Russian ballistic missiles.
Ukrainian officials said at least 17 ballistic missiles were intercepted during Sunday’s assault. The figure suggested Kyiv may have received additional Patriot interceptors after its stockpiles were depleted by previous attacks.
During another major Russian barrage earlier this month, Ukraine reported that it had failed to intercept any ballistic missiles, revealing significant gaps in the capital’s defensive coverage.
President Donald Trump has said he is prepared to authorize licenses allowing Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles, a move that could eventually strengthen the country’s ability to defend cities and critical infrastructure.
Details about how the licensing arrangement would operate, where production would occur and how quickly additional interceptors could become available have not been announced.
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