At least 12 people, including three children, have been killed in a succession of Russian airstrikes on Kyiv, in the most lethal assault on the Ukrainian capital for several weeks. More than 40 people were wounded in the overnight barrage, which struck residential buildings and other sites across the city.
The bombardment began shortly after 3am, with further strikes reported around 5.30am. Explosions reverberated through the city centre as officials said more than 20 sites were hit. Part of a five-storey residential building in eastern Kyiv was destroyed, trapping people under the rubble.
Rescue teams worked through the morning to pull survivors from the debris. Three people were freed alive, but more were feared buried. Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, confirmed the deaths of a 14-year-old girl and another child among the victims. A two-year-old was also reported killed.
Interior affairs minister Ihor Klymenko warned that the death toll could rise as the search continued. “We are doing everything to rescue those who may still be alive beneath the ruins,” he said.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks as a demonstration of Moscow’s unwillingness to engage in peace negotiations. “These Russian missiles and attack drones today are a clear response to everyone in the world who, for weeks and months, has been calling for a ceasefire and for real diplomacy,” he wrote on social media. “Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table.”
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The assault followed a quieter August, when major strikes on Kyiv had eased. That lull coincided with an unsuccessful attempt by US president Donald Trump to broker talks between Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy during a meeting with the Russian leader in Alaska. Ukrainian officials said the latest bombardment involved ballistic and cruise missiles as well as Iranian-made Shahed drones, in what they described as a deliberate escalation.
Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, called it a “massive attack on the capital” and urged residents to remain in shelters until authorities declared it safe. Air defence systems were active throughout the night, intercepting some of the incoming weapons, though many penetrated the city’s defences.
Zelenskyy renewed his calls for an international response, demanding tougher sanctions against Moscow and pressing China, in particular, to act. “We expect a reaction from China to what is going on,” he said. “China has repeatedly called for not expanding the war and for a ceasefire.”
Hours earlier, Beijing had confirmed that Putin would attend a military parade with President Xi Jinping next week, underlining the growing alignment between Moscow and Beijing in the face of Western sanctions.
The attack is likely to fuel further debate among Kyiv’s allies about the resilience of Ukraine’s air defences and the need for additional Western support. It also comes at a time when diplomatic efforts have faltered and the prospect of a negotiated settlement appears increasingly distant.
