Credited from: NYTIMES
Russia launched a sustained and deadly missile and drone attack on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, early Thursday, resulting in the deaths of at least 27 civilians and injuring over 90 others. The attack included 74 missiles and 496 drones, making it one of the most significant strikes of the ongoing conflict, according to the Ukrainian air force and various reports from scmp, indiatimes, indiatimes, lemonde, indiatimes, latimes, nytimes, channelnewsasia, channelnewsasia, indiatimes, and indiatimes.
The barrage led to extensive damage across the city, impacting approximately 130 buildings, including residential areas and critical infrastructure. Eyewitnesses reported multiple explosions echoing throughout the night as residents scrambled for shelter, with substantial plumes of smoke visibly engulfing Kyiv, according to reports from lemonde, latimes, and nytimes.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who had cut short a visit to Ireland, criticized international allies for their sluggish delivery of promised air defense systems. He explicitly stated that timely support could have mitigated the extent of destruction and loss of life, urging a recommitment to previous agreements, according to the Ukrainian reports along with scmp, indiatimes, and channelnewsasia.
The Ukrainian government and various international entities condemned the strike. UN Secretary-General António Guterres characterized the attacks as part of a "deadly pattern" targeting civilians, prompting discussions within the European Union regarding imposing further sanctions on entities supporting the Russian military efforts, as shared by channelnewsasia, latimes, and nytimes.