Waves of drones as well as ballistic and guided missiles struck the Ukrainian capital early on Thursday. There were explosions for much of the night, beginning at about 1am local time, and the rattle of anti-aircraft fire as Ukrainian defences tried to shoot the missiles down.
Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said rescuers were pulling survivors from under the rubble. The injured included six children and a pregnant woman. A house, cars, and other buildings were set on fire, with extensive damage caused by falling debris in several districts, he said.
“Russia has launched a massive combined strike on Kyiv,” Ukraine’s state emergency service wrote on Telegram.
“According to preliminary data, nine people were killed, 70 injured.”
Ukraine’s interior minister, Ihor Klymenko, stated a big rescue operation was under way in the Svyatoshinsky district of Kyiv, involving dogs and engineering teams.
“Mobile phones can be heard ringing under the ruins. The search will continue until everybody is got out. We have information about two children who cannot be found at the scene of the incident,” he added.
According to Kharkiv’s mayor, several private houses, a factory and a high-rise apartment block were hit.
The onslaught came as Donald Trump lashed out at Volodymyr Zelenskyy for failing to support a US “peace plan”, in which Crimea and other Ukrainian territories would be handed to Russia.
On Wednesday, Trump accused Ukraine’s president of prolonging the “killing field” and making “very harmful” statements. Zelenskyy has ruled out recognising Crimea as Russian and says a complete ceasefire is needed before any settlement can be discussed.
The Ukrainian foreign minister, Andriy Sybiga, said Russia’s “maximalist demands for Ukraine to withdraw from its regions, combined with these brutal strikes, show that Russia, not Ukraine, is the obstacle to peace”.
He added: “Moscow, not Kyiv, is where pressure should be applied. Putin demonstrates through his actions, not words, that he does not respect any peace efforts and only wants to continue the war. Weakness and concessions will not stop his terror and aggression. Only strength and pressure will.”
Kyiv was last hit by missiles in early April when at least three people were hurt. It has been the target of sporadic attacks since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Andriy Yermak, the head of President Volodymyr Zelenksy’s office said: “Putin shows only a desire to kill. The attacks on civilians must stop.”
