24 dead after Russian attack on Kyiv, Ukraine

by · UPI

May 15 (UPI) -- At least 24 people are dead after Russia attacked Kyiv, Ukraine, with hundreds of missiles and drones, Ukrainian officials said.

This latest barrage came Thursday after a week of heavy Russian fire in the war between the two countries that's been going on for four years.

Ukraine's military worked to intercept the missiles, but some of them pushed through their air-defense systems, The New York Times reported. Russia used cruise and ballistic missiles and drones.

One cruise missile hit an apartment block, killing 24 people, three of whom were children, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Dozens were injured, including a 1-month-old infant.

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In response, Ukraine launched a large-scale, long-range drone attack on Russia. The attack included a hit on the Ryazan oil refinery, about 133 miles south of Moscow.

Russia launched 1,428 drones and decoys into Ukraine between 8 a.m. Wednesday and 8 a.m. Thursday. The Times said it was by far the largest sustained daylong drone attack against a Ukrainian city during the war, according to a data set it maintains based on numbers from the Ukrainian air force.

Kyiv and Lviv have declared a day of mourning, flying flags at half staff. Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said his city lowered its flag out of respect.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said of the war last week, "I believe the matter is coming to a close."

After the attack on Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X, "These are definitely not the actions of those who believe the war is coming to an end."

Thursday afternoon, teens from a Kyiv school gathered near the rubble of an apartment building hoping their friend Masha had survived, The Times reported.

She lived on the seventh floor, her best friend, Laura Cherniavska, 14, said. The girls were friends since first grade.

Masha's mother, the students told The Times, was in the hospital in critical condition. She had been rescued with the help of another teenager, Ivan Zakharchuk, 18. He climbed the wreckage and found her after hearing her screams. Masha's body, and those of her father and grandmother, were found later in the day.

Overnight Friday, Latvia and Finland initiated alerts of possible drone incursions, though none were reported. Latvia's prime minister resigned Thursday after Ukrainian drone incursions in the country.

Ukrainians march through London to mark anniversary of Russian invasion

Ukrainians march together through the streets of London to the Russian Embassy to mark the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2023. Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI | License Photo