Ukraine Reels After Massive Russian Strikes Kill At Least 21 in Kyiv

A powerful Russian missile strike on Kyiv on Thursday morning left at least 21 people dead, including two children, after hitting a residential apartment block, Ukrainian authorities reported. Officials said the multi-story building was heavily damaged, with emergency teams still searching through rubble for survivors and dozens of people unaccounted for.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the structure was “virtually destroyed” and confirmed that around 20 people remain missing. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko initially reported more than 30 injuries linked to the strike. Across the capital, additional damage to residential areas added to the overall casualty toll.

Nationwide, Ukrainian officials said Russian attacks damaged around 180 structures, with roughly 50 of them residential buildings. Strikes also injured civilians in other regions, including 28 people in Kharkiv and two in Odesa, according to Zelensky.

The Ukrainian president said Russia had launched 1,567 drones since Wednesday, describing it as one of the largest aerial assaults since the start of the full-scale war more than four years ago. Authorities said at least 22 civilians were killed over a two-day period, as repeated waves of drones and missiles hit multiple cities.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko declared a day of mourning for Friday. He said the apartment block in the Darnytskyi district suffered catastrophic structural collapse, leaving residents trapped inside and rescue operations ongoing. Emergency services reported that 11 people had already been pulled from the wreckage while others remain missing.

Zelensky said the Kyiv building was struck by a Kh-101 missile that “was manufactured in the second quarter of this year,” arguing that Russia continues to obtain components despite international sanctions. He said this highlights the need to tighten restrictions on supply chains enabling missile production.

The attacks extended beyond Kyiv. Ukrainian authorities reported strikes on Kremenchuk, Bila Tserkva and Sumy, with air force officials saying the country was facing “the largest strikes since the start of the full-scale invasion.” Russia had previously paused large-scale attacks during a brief ceasefire period marking the end of World War II, but resumed intensive bombardment shortly afterward.

On the previous day, Ukraine reported more than 800 drones launched in coordinated waves, followed by another escalation involving missiles and additional drones. Air defense systems intercepted most incoming drones, but officials said missile defense effectiveness was significantly lower. Zelensky said interception rates for drones exceeded 93 percent, while missile interception stood at only 7 percent.

The president said the scale of the assault was deliberately designed to overwhelm Ukraine’s defenses, adding that the timing and intensity of the strikes were calculated to maximize civilian impact. He instructed military and security services to prepare “possible formats for our response,” signaling potential escalation in Ukraine’s long-range capabilities.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called for an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting, saying the attacks required a coordinated international response. He urged global leaders to increase pressure on Moscow, arguing that the scale of civilian casualties demands stronger action from partners.

International reactions followed quickly. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the strikes showed Moscow was “choosing escalation over negotiation,” while French President Emmanuel Macron said Russia was demonstrating weakness rather than strength. EU officials, including Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, said the attacks amounted to open defiance of diplomatic efforts to end the war.

Hungary’s foreign ministry also issued a rare condemnation, calling for an immediate halt to strikes on civilians and summoning the Russian ambassador.

Alongside the battlefield developments, Ukraine said energy infrastructure in Kyiv was also hit, including damage to a transformer substation and high-voltage lines operated by DTEK. Power and water disruptions were reported in parts of the city as emergency crews worked to restore services.

Survivors described scenes of panic during the strike, with residents recounting explosions shaking nearby buildings and people screaming as fires broke out and debris scattered across residential districts. Emergency responders continued search-and-rescue operations throughout the day amid unstable structures and ongoing safety risks.

Authorities said Russia had used a combination of cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and drones in the latest wave of attacks, underscoring what Ukrainian officials described as a sustained strategy of mass aerial bombardment targeting both military and civilian infrastructure.