Escalation: Russia unleashes major assault on Kyiv

Russia launched 74 missiles and 496 drones at Kyiv overnight. Explosions continued for more than 11 hours in waves: drones first set a central hotel ablaze, around 01:00 dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles followed, another volley hit at about 03:00, and drones kept coming until dawn. At least 30 people were killed and more than 90 injured.

More than 20 sites across the city were hit, including apartment blocks, a hotel, an ambulance station, and research facilities. In Darnytskyi on the left bank, one missile gouged a crater beside a kindergarten and another tore away the end of a nine‑storey block, leaving people trapped as rescuers dug through rubble. A Red Cross warehouse was destroyed with about 320,000 relief items lost, and labs and offices at the National Institute of Biochemistry were gutted.

Kyiv’s metro sheltered 52,500 people, including 4,500 children, as the strikes continued. Debris damaged a building used by diplomats in the capital; EU personnel were safe. Air defenses downed many drones, but roughly a quarter of the missiles still struck targets in and around the city.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources