Large-Scale Drone Attack Hits Kyiv and Surrounding Areas

Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and surrounding areas were struck by an extensive barrage of Russian drones and missiles, according to Ukrainian authorities; the attacks targeted six districts of Kyiv and another six in the surrounding areas, as reported by the Ukrainian military on Thursday.

Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba confirmed that the strikes also targeted ports in the southern Odesa region and railways. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a post on X, reported that Russia had launched “more than 670 attack drones and 56 missiles against Ukraine” overnight.

Civilian Casualties and Ongoing Rescue Operations

The mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, said 40 people were wounded in the attacks, including two children, while Ukrainian emergency services reported three fatalities. Al Jazeera’s Audrey Macalpine, reporting from Kyiv, noted that people were still feared to be trapped under the rubble of a nine-storey building that had been struck.

Macalpine described the attack as one of the largest in the war so far, “in a single 36-hour period just by sheer number of drones.” Zelenskyy emphasized the need for international partners to remain vocal about the attack and to continue supporting Ukraine’s air defenses.

Peace Efforts Halted by Renewed Attacks

These attacks came as a setback for ongoing efforts to end the war. Earlier in the week, U.S. President Donald Trump had brokered a three-day ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, raising hopes for peace. However, the truce was marred by allegations of violations from both sides. On Tuesday, when the ceasefire ended, both Ukraine and Russia launched long-range drone attacks against each other.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin had suggested the war could be winding down, but the Kremlin quickly clarified that these comments did not signal a softening in Moscow’s stance. On Wednesday, the Kremlin reiterated its demand that Ukraine fully withdraw from the eastern Donbas region before any ceasefire or peace talks could proceed. Kyiv has rejected such a move as effectively a surrender.