A recent Russian missile strike on Kyiv resulted in the deaths of three individuals, as reported by Ukrainian leaders on Saturday. They condemned the assault as a “heinous” attack, while Russia characterized it as “retaliation.” Additionally, Ukrainian officials indicated that three more fatalities occurred in various Russian strikes across the country, with Moscow claiming new territorial advances.
Typically, Russia targets Kyiv with aerial attacks; however, deadly strikes are uncommon due to the capital’s sophisticated air defense systems. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for increased global pressure on Russia to compel an end to its nearly three-year invasion of Ukraine. The victims of the latest strike were identified as two men, aged 43 and 25, and a woman aged 41.
AFP journalists observed significant destruction in Kyiv, with a multi-story building showing blown-out windows, debris scattered across the street, and damages to a McDonald’s outlet. According to Russia’s defense ministry, the missile strikes targeted Ukrainian military-industrial facilities, specifically the Luch Design Bureau, which is responsible for developing long-range guided missiles. The strikes were described as “retaliation” for Ukraine’s employment of US-supplied ATACMS missiles in attacks on Russian territory.
Zelensky later revised the casualty figures, confirming three fatalities and three injuries, and he emphasized the need to exert pressure on those supporting Russia’s war efforts. In his evening address, he noted that ballistic missiles were used in the attacks and reiterated the ongoing efforts to acquire modern air-defense systems for Ukraine to intercept such threats effectively.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga labeled the missile assault a “heinous Russian ballistic attack,” asserting that it demonstrates President Putin’s preference for war over peace. He stressed that Putin must be compelled to accept a just peace through substantial economic and military pressure.
The Ukrainian air force reported that they successfully intercepted two Iskander ballistic missiles and neutralized 24 Russian attack drones overnight. The strikes affected Kyiv’s Shevchenkivsky district, which suffered damage to an industrial building, metro access, and residential buildings, and temporarily disrupted local water supplies.
In southern Ukraine, the situation was similarly dire; a Russian strike in Zaporizhzhia claimed one life and injured 11, with local officials condemning it as a “cynical” attack during nighttime hours. Additionally, two fatalities were reported from a mortar attack in Beryslav, located in the Kherson region.
These attacks occur at a pivotal moment in the ongoing conflict as both Russia and Ukraine strive to secure advantageous positions. Russia claimed over the weekend that its forces had taken control of two villages, Vremivka and Petropavlivka, in the eastern Donetsk region, where intense military activity has been ongoing. In response, Ukraine has intensified strikes against Russian energy and military sites, including targets located hundreds of kilometers behind the front lines. The GUR military intelligence unit of Ukraine reported successful drone strikes against an oil depot in Russia’s Tula region and other industrial sites in the Kaluga region following similar drone attacks.
