Russia launches deadliest attack on Kyiv this year, fires 496 drones and 74 missiles; 27 killed

Russia unleashed its deadliest aerial assault on Ukraine's capital this year, launching 496 drones and 74 missiles in an overnight attack on Kyiv that killed at least 27 people and injured more than 90, according to Ukrainian authorities. The large-scale bombardment damaged around 130 buildings, including residential complexes, hotels, energy infrastructure and military-linked facilities, marking one of the biggest attacks of the war so far.

Ukraine's Air Force said it intercepted many of the incoming drones and missiles, but several struck targets across the capital, triggering fires and causing widespread destruction. Rescue teams continued searching through the rubble of a partially collapsed apartment building as officials warned the death toll could rise. Thousands of residents spent the night sheltering in metro stations during the hours-long bombardment.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko described the strike as the worst attack on the city in more than four years of war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the assault and renewed calls for Western allies to accelerate deliveries of advanced air defence systems, saying stronger protection could have reduced the scale of the devastation.

Russia said the strikes targeted military facilities, energy infrastructure and airports, claiming they were carried out in response to recent Ukrainian attacks inside Russian territory. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow would continue increasing pressure on Ukraine as fighting enters its fifth year.

The attack prompted renewed international condemnation, with Kyiv declaring a day of mourning for the victims. The latest escalation comes amid intensified drone and missile exchanges between the two countries, as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict remain stalled.