Kyiv endured a fierce missile and drone assault overnight, resulting in four fatalities. This attack followed Vladimir Putin’s pledge to retaliate for Operation Spiderweb, a Ukrainian drone operation targeting Russian aircraft.

Zelenskyy Calls for Increased Pressure on Kremlin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia launched over 400 drones and more than 40 missiles at Ukraine. He urged allies to intensify pressure on the Kremlin to halt the ongoing war.

If someone does not put pressure and gives the war more time to take lives, they are complicit and responsible.We need to act decisively.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy,President of Ukraine

Details of the Attack

• Missiles and drones struck Kyiv, causing fires in residential buildings.
• The city’s metro system was temporarily shut down after a train sustained damage.
• The assault was part of a nationwide barrage involving ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, Kalibr missiles, and numerous drones.

Casualties and Rescue Efforts

Despite Ukraine’s air defenses,Kyiv authorities reported that three emergency workers were killed and 20 people were wounded,with 16 hospitalized. Search and rescue operations are ongoing at several locations, stated Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko on Telegram.

The ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed that the three fatalities were firefighters from the state emergency service. They were working under fire to help people, the ministry said.

Damage to Infrastructure

The city’s military management reported disruptions to the metro system due to a Russian strike damaging a train. Fires erupted in residential buildings across Kyiv.

A residential block in the Solomianskyi district suffered severe damage to its upper floors, with windows, balcony frames, and parts of an outer wall destroyed.

More than 2,000 households on Kyiv’s eastern bank were without electricity Friday morning.

Russia’s Justification

Russia’s defense ministry claimed the attacks were a response to Ukrainian terrorist acts against Russia.

Russia had previously vowed retaliation following operation Spiderweb, the drone attack on its bomber fleet.

Details of Russian Forces Deployed

Initially, two TU-95MC and two TU-160MC bombers were deployed by Russia on Thursday night. Kalibr missiles were also launched from Russian warships in the Black Sea.

Trump’s Outlook

Putin informed then-U.S. President Donald Trump that Russia would respond to the operation that Ukraine claimed damaged or destroyed 41 aircraft. They went deep into Russia and [Putin] actually told me we have no choice but to attack based on that, and it’s probably not going to be pretty, Trump told reporters.

Trump suggested it might be better to let Ukraine and Russia fight for a while rather than instantly pursue peace.

Eyewitness Accounts

The barrage on Kyiv began with the sound of Russian kamikaze drones, followed by Ukrainian anti-aircraft fire. Throughout the night, the city was shaken by large explosions.

tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, reported drone strikes on the upper floors of a high-rise apartment building and a fire in the Darnytskyi district. An unofficial Telegram channel indicated a shopping center in the area was ablaze.

Tkachenko also mentioned a fire in an apartment building in a western district,with drone fragments found in three districts.

International Response

Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s commissioner for human rights, called for a strong international response. Russia is acting like a terrorist, systematically targeting civilian infrastructure, he wrote on Telegram. The world must respond clearly and take concrete steps, including condemning the aggressor’s actions.

Other Regions Affected

Elsewhere in Ukraine:

• Ternopil: 10 people injured, including five emergency workers.
• Poltava region: Three people injured after strikes on administrative buildings, warehouses, and a cafe.
• Khmelnytskyi region: Damage to a private residential building, outbuildings, and vehicles.
• Lviv region: Air defense forces shot down three Russian missiles.