Russian Missile and Drone Attack Kills at Least 12 in Kyiv

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Russian missiles and drones struck residential areas in Kyiv early Thursday, killing at least 12 people in what President Volodymyr Zelensky said showed Moscow’s disregard for ongoing peace negotiations.

Emergency workers and residents cleared shattered glass and debris from streets in central Kyiv, where one strike left a five-story crater and ripped an apartment building in two, images posted

Mattresses dangled from destroyed balconies. Windows of nearby homes and businesses were blown out. Among the dead were three children, with the youngest being two years old, city officials said.

“Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table. It chooses to continue killing instead of ending the war,” Zelensky said on social media, calling for tougher sanctions and a stronger response from allies.

Kyiv, once relatively shielded from Russian aerial assaults, has suffered repeated deadly strikes in recent months. In July, one of the worst barrages killed more than 30 people, including five children.

Horrified

On Thursday, Kyiv military chief Tymur Tkachenko said Russia launched ballistic and cruise missiles, along with Iranian-designed Shahed drones from multiple directions to “systematically” target residential neighborhoods.

A five-story building in the Darnytsky district collapsed, while a shopping mall was also hit, Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said. During the bombardment, residents sheltered in subway stations, some with sleeping bags and pets.

European Council President Antonio Costa said the attacks damaged the EU’s diplomatic mission in the city. He posted a

“My thoughts are with the Ukrainian victims and also with the

Meanwhile, in Russia, the Defense Ministry reported downing more than 100 Ukrainian drones across the country overnight, leading to flight and train disruptions in several regions.

In the southern Rostov region, 50 homes were evacuated after an explosives-laden drone crashed into the roof of a house in a residential area but failed to detonate. In the neighboring Krasnodar region, Ukrainian drone attacks caused fires at an oil refinery and nearby forest.

No one was reported injured or killed in the overnight attacks on Russia.

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