Ukraine was subjected to a mass aerial attack overnight, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirming that Russia launched more than 440 drones and 32 missiles in a coordinated strike affecting multiple regions. Kyiv bore the brunt of the assault, which officials described as one of the most severe since the outset of the full-scale invasion.
In a statement released on Tuesday morning, Zelenskyy said: “More than 440 drones and 32 missiles. One of the most terrifying attacks on Kyiv. Reports are coming in regularly from Interior Minister Klymenko and military commanders.” He added that other regions also targeted included Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, and the wider Kyiv region.
The main missile strike in the capital struck a nine-storey residential building in the Solomianskyi district, killing 15 people and injuring 99, 59 of whom were hospitalised. According to emergency officials, an entire stairwell was destroyed by a Kh-101 cruise missile, one of 16 launched during the attack—15 of which were intercepted.
President Zelenskyy confirmed that residential buildings in eight Kyiv districts sustained damage. Rescue operations continued into the morning to locate individuals believed to be trapped under debris. He expressed condolences to the families of the victims and said all those injured were receiving necessary medical assistance.
In total, 472 aerial threats were launched, including:
440 unmanned aerial vehicles (mainly Shahed-type drones and decoys),
16 Kh-101 cruise missiles,
2 Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles,
4 Kalibr missiles from the Black Sea,
9 air-launched guided missiles (Kh-59/69), and
1 Kh-31P anti-radiation missile.
Ukrainian air defences neutralised 428 of these, using both direct fire and electronic countermeasures. However, impact sites were recorded in ten locations, with debris from intercepted munitions falling across 34 areas, including residential neighbourhoods.
Emergency services also warned of additional risks from unexploded submunitions. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported the discovery of small metal spheres—identified as fragmentation elements from missile warheads—found in the Nyvky area and other parts of the capital. “These are cluster munitions, designed for maximum harm,” he stated. “This is nothing short of a deliberate attempt to kill as many civilians as possible.”
Cluster munitions found in Kyiv
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said 27 locations in Kyiv came under fire, affecting homes, schools, and infrastructure. In addition to the capital, six people were injured in Odesa region, and one each in Kyiv and Chernihiv regions outside the city.
Ukrainian president used the occasion to reiterate calls for a stronger international response:
“The world, the United States, and Europe must react as a civilised society does to terrorists. It is dangerous when the powerful look away.”
Despite the escalation, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that new sanctions against Russia would be delayed, citing the potential for a negotiated ceasefire. The Ukrainian government has not commented on the statement but continues to call for increased military and humanitarian support from Western allies, particularly in air defence systems and interceptor munitions.
Ukrainian authorities have urged the public to remain alert, avoid contact with unfamiliar objects, and follow all air raid instructions. Search and recovery efforts are ongoing across all affected regions, with the full extent of the damage still being assessed.
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