Russian forces launched a massive overnight missile and drone assault against the Ukrainian capital, killing at least 13 people, officials confirmed to the BBC.
Several neighborhoods were evacuated as consecutive detonations rattled buildings across the city, occurring just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia was mobilizing for a “massive” aerial assault.
Among the “significant number” of casualties were children, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv Military Administration.
“The enemy is once again deliberately striking residential areas and killing civilians,” Tkachenko stated early Thursday morning. Conversely, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed the operation targeted energy infrastructure in retaliation for recent Ukrainian strikes.
The Aftermath: Widespread Destruction Across the Capital
As daylight broke on Thursday morning, the full scale of the devastation became clear:
- Impact Craters & Fires: Aerial detonations left massive craters in residential zones, sparking multiple fires across the capital.
- Infrastructure Collateral: Severely damaged buildings, charred vehicles, and fractured civilian infrastructure littered the affected districts.
- Medical Emergency Services Hit: A local ambulance station sustained a direct hit, leaving at least one emergency worker in critical condition.
