Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults on Kyiv since the start of the war, firing hundreds of drones and missiles overnight, including an Oreshnik hypersonic missile.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the attacks targeted Kyiv and nearby areas, including Bila Tserkva, while Mayor Vitali Klitschko described the night as “terrible” as emergency crews responded across the capital.
Key developments:
- Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 600 drones and 90 missiles
- Ukrainian officials reported four deaths and more than 80 injuries
- Residential buildings, schools and infrastructure facilities were damaged
- Russia said the strikes targeted military and defence-related sites
Russia stated the operation involved Oreshnik, Iskander, Kinzhal and Zircon missiles, describing the strikes as retaliation for alleged strikes on civilian targets in Russia. Ukraine says it does not target civilians.
It was only the third time that Russia has used the Oreshnik missile against Ukraine since the war began. The Oreshnik has a range of several thousand kilometres and is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.
The previous two strikes had hit major cities, but Zelenskiy said this one had struck Bila Tserkva, a city of 200,000 people that lies about 40 miles (64 km) from the outskirts of Kyiv.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said in the past that the missile is impossible to intercept because of its reported velocity of more than 10 times the speed of sound.
ℹ️ Reuters
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