Russia launched an intense barrage of ballistic missiles and drones early on Saturday, killing at least nine people and wounding 28 others in the Ukrainian capital, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. More than a dozen explosions reverberated across the city during several waves of attacks, according to Reuters witnesses. Fires broke out across seven districts of the city, and power outages were reported in some areas, the Prosecutor’s General Office said.
Deadly Ballistic Missile Strikes Hit Kyiv
The State Emergency Service reported that 105 people in Kyiv were rescued from impacted areas. Officials stated that seven people were killed in the Darnytskyi district on the left bank of the Dnipro river, where the attack caused fires and damage to houses, vehicles, and administrative buildings. In the Solomyanskyi district on the right bank, a five-story residential building was partially destroyed by falling debris and fires, resulting in two deaths and eight injuries. Emergency workers evacuated 35 people from the upper floors of that building, according to AP News. Additional fires were extinguished in a non-residential building in the Shevchenkivskyi district.
Among the wounded were four children who suffered multiple shrapnel wounds and lacerations. A missile also landed near the Lithuanian embassy, breaking windows and scattering debris in the compound, according to bbc.co.uk. Residents described waking up to explosions as early as 1:30 a.m., with apartment ceilings crumbling and windows shattered.
Wider Context and Escalating Attacks
This assault marked the second major attack on Kyiv within a week. The strikes occurred two days after a suspected Russian cruise missile landed in Poland during a widespread attack on Ukraine that killed nine people, including six members of one family in a village near Kryvyi Rih. Russia’s defense ministry stated on Saturday that it had launched a “massive strike” against Ukrainian military-industrial complex facilities and logistics centers in Kyiv.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the assault in a post on X, stating, Failing to achieve its goals on the battlefield, Russia is intensifying its air attacks and terror against civilians.
Ukrainian officials emphasized that the country faces a chronic shortage of air defenses capable of downing ballistic missiles, which travel at several times the speed of sound.
International Diplomacy and Air Defense Demands
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has continuously pressed Western allies for more support, specifically requesting Patriot anti-ballistic missile defense systems. Zelenskyy also recently urged U.S. and other officials to help Ukraine gain permission to use Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service for guiding strikes inside Russia. While Musk allows Starlink use within Ukraine, he restricts its operation inside Russia.
Regarding manufacturing capabilities, Zelenskyy stated earlier that the U.S. had agreed to give Ukraine a license to produce Patriot interceptors. However, U.S. President Donald Trump indicated during a cabinet meeting at Camp David that Washington had not yet finalized an agreement, noting that officials must be cautious when sharing such advanced technology.
Discover more from Archyworldys
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.