Russian missile and drone strikes on Kyiv killed at least six people—including a six-year-old boy and his mother—and left 82 others injured early on Thursday, according to Ukrainian officials.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia launched more than 300 drones and eight missiles and hit residential buildings in the capital.
“Today, the world has once again seen Russia’s response to our desire for peace with America and Europe. Therefore, peace without strength is impossible,” Zelenskyy said on the Telegram app.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said nine children were wounded, the largest number hurt in a single night in the city since Russia started its full-scale invasion almost three and a half years ago.
Yurii Kravchuk, 62, stood wrapped in a blanket next to a damaged building, with a bandage around his head. He heard the missile alert but did not get to a shelter in time, he told Reuters.
“I started waking up my wife, and then there was an explosion … My daughter ended up in the hospital.”
Emergency crews were putting out fires and cutting through concrete blocks in search of survivors across the city.
Explosions rocked Kyiv for hours and blazes lit up the night sky. Schools and hospitals were among the buildings that took hits across 27 locations in the city, officials said.
The air force reported five direct missile hits and 21 drone hits in 12 locations.
Russia, which denies targeting civilians, has stepped up air strikes on Ukrainian towns and cities far from the front line of the war in recent months.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the United States would start imposing tariffs and other measures on Russia “10 days from today” if Moscow showed no progress toward ending the conflict.
“This is Putin’s response to Trump’s deadlines,” Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said. “The world must respond with a tribunal and maximum pressure.”
Zelenskyy posted a video of burning ruins, saying people were still trapped under the rubble of one partially-ruined residential building.
Ukrainian air defence units downed 288 attack drones and three cruise missiles, the air force said.
(With inputs from Reuters)
