Kyiv, Ukraine – At least 18 people, including four children, have been killed after Russia launched its second-largest aerial assault on Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian officials confirmed on Thursday.
The overnight bombardment struck multiple targets in Kyiv, damaging buildings linked to the European Union mission and the British Council, prompting both Brussels and London to summon Russia’s top diplomats.
According to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, the victims include children aged 2, 14, and 17. Ukrainian authorities said the attack deployed a staggering 629 air assault weapons, consisting of 598 drones and 31 missiles.
“This was one of the largest combined attacks,” Yuriy Ihnat, spokesperson for Ukraine’s air force, told reporters.
Russia Claims Military Targets, Kyiv Calls It Terror
Moscow’s defense ministry claimed it struck “military-industrial complexes and air bases” with precision weapons. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced the assault as a deliberate massacre of civilians.
“These Russian missiles and attack drones are a clear response to everyone who has been calling for a ceasefire and real diplomacy,” Zelensky posted on X.
He added: “Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table… It chooses to continue killing instead of ending the war.”
EU and UK Outraged
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was “outraged” at the destruction of EU facilities in Kyiv, calling the incident “another grim reminder of what is at stake.”
“It shows the Kremlin will stop at nothing to terrorize Ukraine, blindly killing civilians and even targeting the European Union,” she stated.
In London, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed damage to a British Council building, condemning President Vladimir Putin for “killing children, civilians, and sabotaging hopes of peace.” Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the Russian ambassador has been summoned.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Moscow of breaching the Vienna Convention by deliberately targeting diplomatic institutions, calling for worldwide condemnation.
Human Tragedy Amid the Rubble
The strikes left entire neighborhoods in ruins. Residents endured a nine-hour air raid alert, with many sheltering in subway stations.
One Kyiv resident, Vitaliy Protsiuk, described the horror of losing contact with his wife. “When I came out, everything was covered in dust and smoke. The roof was gone, and the floors from the fourth to the first were destroyed. As of now, my wife hasn’t been found,” he told local media.
More than 500 emergency workers and 1,000 police officers were deployed to respond across multiple locations. Several residential blocks, kindergartens, offices, and transport infrastructure were destroyed.
City authorities have declared Friday a day of mourning, with flags to be flown at half-mast and entertainment events suspended.
Geopolitical Fallout
The attack comes just two weeks after US President Donald Trump held direct talks with Putin in an effort to end the war. However, momentum from those discussions has stalled, with no clear breakthrough between Moscow and Kyiv.
Putin is expected to travel to China next week for a military parade, alongside leaders including North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and Serbia’s Aleksandar Vučić.
Meanwhile, Russia’s battlefield operations are intensifying, with Ukrainian analysts confirming the loss of villages in Dnipropetrovsk region earlier this week.
Despite Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisting that Moscow “remains open to peace talks,” Thursday’s devastating strikes have underscored Kyiv’s warning that Russia is prioritizing escalation over diplomacy.
Source – My News Ghana
About the Author
