At least 8 killed after Russia launches fresh missile, drone attack on Kyiv

KYIV – Russia launched another large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, overnight, killing at least eight people and injuring more than 34 others, Ukrainian authorities said. The Ukrainian officials said that the attack targeted several areas of the capital, causing widespread destruction to residential neighborhoods and civilian infrastructure. Emergency services rushed to the affected sites to rescue people trapped under the rubble and provide medical assistance to the injured. The Ukrainian military said Russian missiles and drones struck residential buildings during the assault, resulting in significant damage. Local authorities reported that a hotel caught fire following the strikes, while a six-storey apartment building partially collapsed, leaving rescue teams searching for survivors beneath the debris. Firefighters worked for hours to extinguish the blaze and clear the wreckage as emergency personnel continued search-and-rescue operations. Officials warned that the death toll could rise as efforts to locate missing residents remained underway. The latest attack is part of a series of intensified Russian aerial strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent months, with Kyiv frequently coming under missile and drone bombardment. Ukrainian air defence systems were activated during the attack, but several projectiles managed to hit their intended targets, causing civilian casualties and property damage. Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Defence claimed its forces had carried out separate strikes on military airfields located in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk and Poltava regions. The ministry said the attacks were aimed at Ukrainian military infrastructure, though it did not provide further details regarding the operation or the extent of the damage. There was no immediate independent verification of the claims made by either side.