Heavy scenes have been reported from several Ukrainian cities following a massive aerial attack that Volodymyr Zelenskyy had warned about days earlier.
During the night, Russia carried out one of its largest recent air assaults against Ukraine, launching missiles and drones at multiple cities, with Kyiv as the primary target. According to Ukrainian authorities, at least nine people were killed and 89 others were injured.
The first explosions in Kyiv were heard around 1:30 a.m. local time, shortly before air raid sirens were activated. Additional waves of explosions followed around 2:15 a.m. and 4:00 a.m., causing temporary power outages in parts of the city.
Damage in Kyiv
Vitali Klitschko reported that several districts lost electricity and suffered significant material damage.
In the Podilskyi District, numerous vehicles caught fire, while missile debris struck the roof of a building, causing major damage and a fire. Klitschko stated that a partially collapsed nine-story building may have trapped people beneath the rubble following a double strike in the same area.
In the Solomianskyi District, residential buildings of 15 and 24 stories were damaged. In the Obolonskyi District, drone debris fell near a kindergarten. Fires were also reported at several construction sites.
Attacks additionally caused fires at fuel stations in the Darnytskyi District and Shevchenkivskyi District, as well as at business facilities in the Sviatoshynskyi District. Authorities confirmed extensive damage to a business center, while a medical clinic was hit by debris.
According to the latest figures, at least four people were killed in Kyiv, and 51 others were injured, including two children.
Attacks Beyond the Capital
The strikes were not limited to Kyiv. In the surrounding Kyiv region, particularly in Bucha and Vyshhorod, homes, warehouses, and other facilities were damaged.
Regional Governor Mykola Kalashnyk said that three people were injured in these areas.
In Dnipro, five people were killed and 25 others injured after missiles and drones struck residential buildings. Among the injured was a 13-year-old girl. Images shared online showed partially collapsed buildings and extensive infrastructure damage.
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Kharkiv Also Targeted
Kharkiv also came under attack. Mayor Ihor Terekhov said that missiles and drones hit several districts, damaging residential buildings, vehicles, and administrative facilities. At least ten people were reported injured.
Due to the intensity of the attack, the armed forces of Poland announced that Polish and allied aircraft were scrambled to protect the country’s airspace.
Zelensky’s Earlier Warning
President Zelensky had warned on May 29 of a possible large-scale Russian attack, citing information from Ukrainian intelligence services. He urged citizens to heed air raid warnings and seek shelter whenever alerts were issued.
“There is no reason to believe that anyone in Moscow will change their mind. Take care of your safety and respond to every threat.”
His warning followed statements by Russian officials regarding potential strikes on what they called “decision-making centers” in Ukraine. Despite Moscow’s calls for foreign diplomats to leave Kyiv, no foreign embassy evacuated its personnel.
