Local officials have reported that at least eight individuals have lost their li

2025-04-24 11:22

Local officials have reported that at least eight individuals have lost their lives and over 80 others, including children, have been injured in a nighttime missile and drone attack on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, carried out by Russia.
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Kyiv's Mayor, Vitali Klitschko, indicated that debris from falling drones caused multiple fires, and there are concerns that people might be trapped beneath the rubble of a residential structure. Explosions were also reported in Kharkiv, a city in northeastern Ukraine, where at least two people sustained injuries, according to the mayor. In response to the attacks, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine announced he would cut short his diplomatic trip to South Africa. Initially, Ukraine's State Emergency Service (DSNS) and the Interior Ministry reported nine fatalities resulting from the assault, which featured around 70 missiles and up to 150 drones. However, the Interior Minister later adjusted the death toll to eight, clarifying that the ninth reported death was thought to be body parts from other victims. In a social media post, Mayor Klitschko mentioned that among those injured were six children and a pregnant woman. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko noted that "phone calls can be heard from the wreckage," and stated that two children are currently missing. The attack completely destroyed an apartment block, blew out the windows of adjacent buildings, and ripped balconies from their supports. Emergency services are actively sifting through the debris, with rescue teams and sniffer dogs working diligently at the scene.

The Svyatoshynskyi district was identified as the most heavily impacted area by the overnight strikes, with officials noting that five other districts—Holosiivskyi to the south, Solomyanskyi to the southwest, and Shevchenkivskyi to the west—were also affected. Social media footage appears to capture missiles striking the city, igniting large fires. The assaults occurred just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Zelensky for undermining peace negotiations. Zelensky has firmly rejected any recognition of Russian authority over Crimea, a peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014. Following this, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Moscow now controlling nearly 20% of Ukrainian territory. Trump stated on Wednesday that Crimea "was lost years ago," while Zelensky referenced a 2018 declaration from Trump's former Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, asserting that the U.S. "rejects Russia's attempted annexation." A woman whose apartment was severely damaged in the recent assault on Kyiv recounted to the BBC that she had evacuated her hometown twice, a region now occupied by Russian forces. When asked if Zelensky should concede those territories for the sake of peace, she firmly responded no, emphasizing it would be "against our constitution." Thursday's attack marks one of the deadliest on Kyiv since July 8 of the previous year, when 34 people were reported dead and 121 injured due to Russian strikes on civilian infrastructure, including the Okhmatdyt children's hospital. In Kharkiv, approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Russian border, Mayor Ihor Terekhov confirmed two injuries and reported damage to several private homes from the overnight missile and drone assault.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that these nighttime attacks reveal that it is Russia—and not Ukraine—that obstructs peace efforts, accusing Putin of disregarding attempts for resolution and desiring to perpetuate the conflict. Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, is scheduled to visit Moscow this week, following Trump's announcement of a peace deal being "very close." Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President JD Vance announced that Washington's strategy includes proposing a freeze on the current front lines "at some level close to their current positions." Kyiv has expressed that it cannot accept a "frozen conflict," with Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko stressing that a complete ceasefire is a "necessary first step." Additionally, Ukraine's air force cautioned that nearly all regions in the country remain vulnerable to air strikes. The Russian military has not yet commented on the reported attacks. In a social media statement, the Russian defense ministry claimed that 87 Ukrainian drones were either intercepted or destroyed overnight across various Russian regions. Further reporting contributed by Seher Asaf and Vitaliy Shevchenko.