Russia launched one of its largest air assaults of the war on Friday, striking Kyiv and multiple Ukrainian cities with missiles and drones, killing three emergency responders and injuring dozens across the country.
Russia launched a massive missile and drone assault on Kyiv early Friday, killing three emergency workers and damaging infrastructure, as powerful explosions echoed across Ukraine in one of the most intense attacks of the war so far, according to Ukrainian officials.
The bombardment came shortly after a warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin, delivered via U.S. President Donald Trump, in response to recent Ukrainian drone strikes that destroyed strategic bomber aircraft deep inside Russian territory.
Kyiv’s military administration confirmed that three first responders were killed while attending to the aftermath of one of the strikes. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko stated they were targeted while working at the scene.
“Overnight, Russia ‘responded’ to the loss of its aircraft by attacking civilians,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Residential buildings were hit. Energy infrastructure was damaged.”
According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the strikes targeted “military and military-related facilities” and were retaliation for what Moscow described as Ukrainian “terrorist acts” inside Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that 49 people were injured nationwide in the wave of attacks, which also hit other towns and cities beyond the capital. He called on Ukraine’s Western allies to increase pressure on Russia, stating, “If someone isn’t applying pressure and is giving the war more time to claim lives — that is complicity. We must act decisively.”
The Ukrainian Air Force said 407 drones — one of the largest numbers in a single operation — were launched by Russia, alongside 45 cruise and ballistic missiles.
In Kyiv, a Russian drone struck an apartment block in the Solomianskyi district, leaving a gaping hole in the building’s facade. Falling debris crushed vehicles below, and investigators were seen examining what was believed to be part of the drone engine.
The capital's metro system was disrupted after a strike damaged tracks between stations, and Ukraine’s state rail company rerouted some trains due to additional damage outside Kyiv.
Reuters journalists described hearing repeated, powerful explosions during the night — strong enough to shake windows across the city. Residents took shelter in underground car parks and metro stations, while the sound of kamikaze drones and anti-aircraft fire filled the sky.
Other cities were also hit. In Ternopil, strikes damaged industrial facilities, knocked out power, and led to toxic smoke in the air, prompting officials to urge residents to stay indoors. At least 10 people were injured there.
In Lutsk, a northwestern city, 15 people were wounded after attacks damaged homes, schools, and a government building, according to prosecutors.
Ukraine’s military confirmed it had launched pre-emptive strikes on the Engels and Dyagilevo airbases in Russia’s Saratov and Ryazan regions and targeted at least three fuel storage facilities.
Last weekend, Ukrainian intelligence carried out one of the most daring operations of the war, destroying Russian strategic bombers using quadcopters hidden in wooden sheds — deep inside Russian territory.
Following a phone call with Putin, Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Russia was preparing a response, though he did not elaborate.
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