At least 16 people were killed in Russian bombardments on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, and its surrounding areas overnight, according to local authorities. The attacks, which lasted nine hours, involved a combination of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for a global response to what he described as Moscow's 'escalation' of the ongoing conflict.
In the early morning hours following the attacks, rescue workers in Kyiv were seen sifting through the rubble of destroyed buildings, including a damaged children's hospital. Grieving families watched as bodies were pulled from the debris of an apartment block. 'There used to be a building here, and now it's gone,' said Maria Abramova, a 45-year-old resident who narrowly escaped injury.
The ballistic missiles used in the attack travel at high speeds, reaching Kyiv within minutes of an air raid warning. This leaves locals with little time to seek shelter. Kyiv has struggled to intercept these missiles, which can only be effectively shot down by US-designed Patriot air defence systems. Ukraine has repeatedly appealed to its allies for additional support as Russia increases its strikes.
Fifteen people were killed in the capital, according to mayor Vitaly Klitschko, and another person was killed in the Kyiv region. The attack also damaged warehouses in Boryspil, outside Kyiv. Russia claimed to have targeted'military-industrial facilities, a transportation and logistics centre, and warehouses' in the region.
The attacks prompted security responses in neighbouring countries, including NATO members Poland and Romania. Poland mobilised aircraft and activated air defences, while Romania scrambled fighter jets and an air force helicopter after detecting aerial targets near the Ukrainian border. A drone also crashed in an unpopulated area in Romania, close to Ukraine.
While Kyiv faces near-nightly attacks, Ukraine has also escalated its retaliatory strikes on Russia. Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have failed, with Russia demanding territorial and political concessions from Kyiv, which President Zelensky has ruled out.
