KYIV, Ukraine — At least eight people were killed and 25 others injured after Russia launched a large-scale overnight missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, officials said on Thursday, in one of the most significant bombardments in weeks.
The strikes hit several neighbourhoods across the city, damaging residential buildings and critical infrastructure, while forcing evacuations as air defence systems intercepted waves of drones and missiles.
Kyiv’s military administration head, Tymur Tkachenko, said emergency responders were still assessing the extent of the destruction, warning that the casualty toll could rise.
“The enemy is once again deliberately targeting residential areas and killing civilians. We have very serious damage and a significant number of casualties, including children,” Tkachenko said.
The overnight assault came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia was preparing a “massive” attack, citing fresh intelligence gathered by Ukrainian authorities.
Speaking on Wednesday, Zelensky urged Ukrainians to remain vigilant.
“I urge our people to be especially careful, to protect themselves, their children, and, of course, their families,” he said.
He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin had been preparing the large-scale strike “for some time now.”
Poland Activates Fighter Jets
The attack also prompted neighbouring Poland to activate fighter jets as a precaution to safeguard its airspace.
Poland’s military described the deployment as a preventive measure aimed at protecting areas bordering Ukraine.
“These actions are of a preventive nature and are aimed at securing and protecting the airspace, especially in areas adjacent to the threatened regions,” the Polish military said in a statement posted on X.
Although there were no reports of Russian missiles or drones entering Polish territory, the move underscores growing regional security concerns as the conflict continues near NATO’s eastern frontier.
Poland is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, whose Article 5 collective defence clause provides that an armed attack against one member is considered an attack against all alliance members.
Fires and Damage Across Kyiv
Residents reported hearing repeated explosions as Ukrainian air defence systems engaged incoming drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles throughout the night. Tracer fire illuminated the city’s skyline as emergency crews responded to multiple impact sites.
Authorities said several fires broke out across Kyiv, while an ambulance station sustained damage, leaving at least one person critically injured.
The bombardment marked Russia’s first major combined missile and drone assault on Ukraine in more than two weeks.
Fighting Continues on Eastern Front
The latest aerial attack comes as intense fighting persists in eastern Ukraine.
Russian forces have recently advanced towards the strategic city of Kostyantynivka, one of Ukraine’s remaining defensive strongholds in the eastern Donbas region. Military analysts say capturing the city would strengthen Moscow’s campaign to gain control over the wider Donbas area.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian military commanders maintain that their forces have reclaimed more territory this year than they have lost, disrupting key Russian supply routes linking the Russian border with occupied Crimea.
Despite those claims, the war has largely settled into a grinding conflict, with both sides holding entrenched positions across much of the front line.
Russia currently controls about one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory, much of it seized following the launch of its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The latest attack on Kyiv is expected to intensify international concern over the humanitarian toll of the conflict as diplomatic efforts to end the war remain stalled.