Russian drones attack Kyiv for second night, officials say

Russian drones struck the Ukrainian capital for a second consecutive night, wounding four people, officials said early on Thursday.

Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, reported that several homes and buildings, including a kindergarten had been damaged in the attack. City authorities also warned residents to be prepared for possible missile strikes on the capital.

The latest assault followed a wave of missile and drone attacks across Ukraine on Wednesday that left six people dead, among them two children, and triggered widespread power outages.

“At around 7:20 a.m., there was an explosion, and almost instantly I felt pain on my face. I started screaming. When I wiped my face, I thought I was crying, but it was blood,” said 24-year-old shop worker Nadiia Zinchuk, speaking near a damaged building in Kyiv.

Officials described the overnight bombardment as part of Russia’s continuing effort to cripple Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as winter nears in the conflict that has now lasted more than three and a half years.

“Most regions of Ukraine were targeted,” said Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk. “This is the second such strike in a month, showing a systematic attempt by the enemy to destroy our energy system before winter.”

Hrynchuk added that Russian forces were also attacking repair crews working to restore damaged power facilities.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces had targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure in retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilian sites.

Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said Hrynchuk had spoken with her U.S. counterpart, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, briefing him on the aftermath of the strikes and Ukraine’s urgent need for additional equipment. Wright reportedly assured her that Washington would support Ukraine through the winter.

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia launched 405 drones and 28 missiles during the overnight assault. Air defences intercepted 333 drones and 16 missiles.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said ten people were rescued from a fire in a high-rise building in the Dniprovskyi district, with a child among the five taken to hospital. Fires also broke out in the Desnianskyi, Darnytskyi and Pecherskyi districts — the latter home to the historic Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, a landmark of Ukrainian cultural and spiritual heritage.

Nationwide power outages

Most regions of Ukraine suffered blackouts as a result of the attacks.

In the central Poltava region, Russian strikes damaged oil and gas facilities in the Myrhorod district, according to the regional governor.

In the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, which has been under relentless shelling from Russian forces, 13 people were injured in overnight attacks, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said.

Authorities across Ukraine have once again set up emergency aid points — known as “points of invincibility” — where residents can warm up, charge their phones, and receive food and hot drinks amid prolonged power, heating and water outages.

Since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s energy facilities, claiming they are legitimate military objectives.

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