The attack destroyed residential buildings and sparked multiple fires across different parts of the city, causing widespread damage.
Ukrainian military officials said the victims included children, while many of the injured sustained serious wounds. Several of the injured were rushed to hospitals as emergency crews continued searching for survivors trapped beneath the rubble in the hardest-hit areas.
Images released from the scene showed large fires burning across the capital, heavily damaged homes and vehicles, and a massive crater left by one of the missiles that struck a district of Kyiv.
Emergency services reported that at least 34 people had been rescued from the debris of collapsed buildings, while search-and-rescue operations remained underway. Significant damage was also reported near hospitals and high-rise residential buildings.
Before the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had warned residents to remain vigilant and seek shelter after intelligence indicated that Russia was preparing a large-scale assault.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation said the strikes targeted Ukraine’s military facilities and energy infrastructure, describing the operation as retaliation for recent Ukrainian attacks inside Russia.
The assault is one of the most significant attacks in recent weeks and marks another escalation in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
