Russia Launches Massive Missile Strike on Kyiv: At Least Nine Killed

Overnight into Saturday, Russian forces launched a massive strike on Kyiv — explosions rocked the Ukrainian capital around 1:30 a.m. local time, with a second wave of attacks following roughly half an hour later and a final one around 3:30 a.m. At least nine people were killed in the shelling, and dozens more were injured.

The Darnytskyi district was hit hardest, with Ukrainian authorities reporting seven deaths and fourteen injuries there, including two children. In the Solomianskyi district, a strike hit a five-story residential building, killing two people.

According to Ukraine's State Emergency Service, the number of injured rose overnight from 23 to 27, including four children. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko later said the number of wounded had reached 28, adding that some residents remain trapped under the rubble of damaged buildings.

The attack sparked fires and caused destruction across five districts of the Ukrainian capital.

Russia's Defense Ministry said on Saturday it had carried out a "massive strike" on the Kyiv region, targeting "military-industrial facilities and logistics centers."

Russia has recently intensified its strikes on Ukrainian cities using ballistic missiles, which are far harder to intercept than drones. Only a handful of air defense systems can effectively counter them, most notably the Patriot batteries that Kyiv has repeatedly asked the United States to supply.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz