A significant missile and drone attack by Russia on Kyiv and surrounding areas has resulted in at least four deaths and around 100 injuries, according to Ukrainian authorities. The offensive, which saw the use of Russia’s hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile for just the third time in the conflict, also caused extensive damage to both civilian and government structures.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that the strikes were aimed at the capital and the nearby city of Bila Tserkva. Residential buildings, schools, a water facility, government offices, and a sizable market sustained damage, and fires erupted in several districts. The assault involved nearly 600 drones and 90 missiles, including numerous ballistic missiles, many of which were intercepted, though several managed to hit central Kyiv, leading to considerable destruction.
Moscow acknowledged employing the Oreshnik missile along with other sophisticated missile systems, asserting that the strikes were directed at Ukrainian military infrastructure as a response to alleged Ukrainian attacks in Russian-controlled areas. The Oreshnik missile, first deployed by Russia in late 2024, is noted for its ability to carry nuclear or conventional warheads and its hypersonic speed, although western analysts have expressed skepticism about some of these capabilities.
Kyiv’s Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that every district in the capital experienced damage, with emergency services rescuing individuals trapped in shelters and extinguishing fires from the explosions. The assault also affected cultural sites, damaging Ukraine’s National Art Museum and parts of the foreign ministry building. Ukrainian officials have condemned the attacks as deliberate strikes on civilian infrastructure and cultural heritage.
European leaders have denounced the assault, with French President Emmanuel Macron describing the use of the Oreshnik missile as a dangerous escalation and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz labeling it as reckless. European Union officials accused Russia of employing terror tactics against civilians. This latest attack follows warnings from Russian President Vladimir Putin of retaliation for supposed Ukrainian drone attacks in areas under Russian control.