KYIV — Russia launched one of its largest overnight missile and drone attacks on Kyiv early Sunday, killing at least one person and injuring at least 16 others, Ukrainian officials said, as waves of ballistic missiles and attack drones struck the capital and caused damage across multiple districts.
Air raid alerts sounded shortly after 1:30 a.m. local time, and explosions continued for several hours as Ukrainian air defenses attempted to intercept incoming missiles and drones. Kyiv authorities reported fires in residential, office and industrial buildings, along with damage to student housing, vehicles and other civilian infrastructure. Rescue teams responded to multiple sites across the city, including the Sviatoshynskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, Solomianskyi, Desnianskyi and Dnipro districts.
Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 41 missiles and 125 drones during the overnight assault, with Kyiv identified as the primary target. The military reported intercepting or suppressing the majority of the incoming weapons but said several missiles and drones penetrated defenses and struck the capital.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and the city's military administration urged residents to remain in shelters during the attack as emergency services worked to extinguish fires and search damaged buildings. Authorities said the casualty toll could change as rescue operations continued.
Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces had carried out precision strikes against what it described as military-related facilities, including sites linked to drone production and missile component storage. Reuters could not independently verify the ministry's claims or the intended targets of the attack.
The latest bombardment followed weeks of intensified long-range strikes between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly warned that sustained missile and drone attacks are placing increasing pressure on the country's air defense systems while causing repeated damage to civilian areas. Russia has maintained that it targets military infrastructure, while Ukraine says residential neighborhoods and other civilian facilities have frequently been hit.
Emergency crews remained at affected locations on Sunday morning, clearing debris, extinguishing fires and assessing structural damage. Ukrainian authorities said investigations into the strikes and updated casualty figures would continue as rescue operations progressed.
