At least four people were killed this morning in Ukraine’s capital Kiev, which has become the epicenter of new Russian attacks in different parts of the country in recent hours. For about eight hours, the skies were a scene of about 50 drones launched by Kremlin forces and about 20 missiles of various types arriving, which local air defense forces tried to intercept. The objective this time in the main city of the country was a series of residential buildings in different districts. Emergency services continue to work as the sun rises.
The capital’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, first spoke of the three dead and a group of heroes, including at least the names of children and a bewildered woman. Immediately afterwards, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called it a “brutal attack” and raised the death toll to four.
“This was a deliberately calculated attack aimed at causing maximum damage to the population and social infrastructure. Dozens of apartments have been damaged in Kiev so far,” the president denounced on social networks, reporting that the launch of the Iskander missile caused some damage to the headquarters of the Azerbaijani embassy.
In addition to Kiev, attacks were also carried out in the regions of Yarkiv, Odessa and Sumy. “We are working diligently with our partners to strengthen our air defenses, but it is not enough,” Zelenskiy said at the time, warning of the military’s ability to launch a “wide-ranging” response.
“We need resources with additional systems and interceptor missiles. Europe and the United States will help,” he complained, citing persistent demands on Washington that included denying powerful Tomahawk missiles. However, US President Donald Trump has expressed reluctance in the face of an expected escalation of the conflict.
The attacks began just after mid-year this year, as Ukraine’s capital was plunged into darkness by power cut-offs imposed by Russia’s offensive on its energy infrastructure, the fourth winter since Moscow launched a major invasion in February 2022. This is a strategy that has been in the works for the past few years, this time trying to find a reaction on the Ukrainian side, but this time bombing key supply points in the country with a kind of eye for an eye counting civilians and the main casualties. “Russia can only sell oil and implement projects. All this must end,” Zelenskiy lamented in his message.