Kyiv missile and drone strikes kill at least 13 as blasts rock the capital
Kyiv missile and drone strikes killed at least 13 people and wounded dozens as waves of missiles and attack drones pummeled residential districts, igniting fires and forcing long air-raid alerts across the city.
Early Thursday explosions and rising plumes of smoke shattered the pre-dawn hours in Kyiv as successive waves of Russian ballistic missiles and unmanned attack aircraft struck multiple neighbourhoods. Emergency services and firefighters worked through the night amid continuing detonations to pull victims from rubble and extinguish widespread blazes. Local officials said the assault began Wednesday night and continued loudly into morning, leaving destroyed apartment blocks and damaged public facilities.
Casualties and rescue operations
Emergency responders reported at least 13 fatalities and more than 30 injured after the overnight barrage, while rescue teams continued searching collapsed structures for possible survivors. Authorities warned the death toll could increase as crews clear debris and reach hard-hit buildings. Firefighters and medics faced ongoing danger as additional explosions were heard while they were operating at the scene.
Damage mapped across every district
Kyiv’s military administration said damage was recorded at over 30 separate locations, touching all districts of the city and including direct hits on residential buildings. Images and social-media postings showed burning apartments, cars ablaze and heavy smoke rising above the city centre. Local officials also reported damage to a market, a hotel and an ambulance depot, intensifying concerns about civilian infrastructure losses.
Sequence of attacks and air-defence response
Officials described an attack pattern that began with swarms of drones followed by ballistic missiles, provoking an extended cascade of air-defence firings. The noise of interceptors and explosions persisted through the night and into the early hours, setting off car alarms and emergency sirens. Air-raid warnings covered the city for more than 11 hours, only being lifted shortly after 7 a.m. local time, according to municipal statements.
Sheltering and civilian disruption
Thousands of residents sought refuge in subway stations, carrying sleeping bags and pets as the city endured the strikes, officials said. Kyiv’s mayor urged people to remain in shelters while the assaults continued, and many families spent the night underground to avoid falling debris. Utilities and transport were disrupted in parts of the city, and local authorities warned of further intermittent outages as crews assess damage.
Official statements and wider military context
Russia’s defence ministry characterised the operation as retaliation for recent Ukrainian strikes inside Russian territory, while Ukrainian leaders linked the attack to escalating cross-border operations. Kyiv has been conducting long-range drone and missile strikes targeting logistics and military sites inside Russia, including strikes that affected fuel supplies and facilities in annexed Crimea. President Volodymyr Zelensky, who returned from foreign meetings as the assault unfolded, has argued that intensified pressure on Russian positions is intended to push Moscow toward negotiations.
The strikes represent a notable escalation in attacks on the Ukrainian capital, officials said, and Kyiv’s military and civil authorities signalled a sustained emergency response. Local commanders reported bodies being recovered from rubble and warned of more destruction than initially reported as inspections continue.
Emergency teams remain on high alert as residents cope with disrupted services and damaged homes. Hospitals treated dozens of wounded, and rescue units worked through unstable conditions to reach affected sites. Authorities urged people to continue following shelter advisories and to report damaged gas or electrical infrastructure to reduce the risk of secondary disasters.
As daylight allowed a fuller assessment of the damage, municipal and national agencies prepared lists of priorities for search-and-rescue, medical support and restoration of essential services. Officials cautioned that the human and material toll could grow as accessibility improves and more areas are inspected.