Waves of Russian missiles kill 16 in Kyiv, U.S. citizen among dead

A major wave of Russian drones and missiles struck Kyiv early Tuesday, killing 16 people, including a U.S. citizen, and injuring dozens as the capital faced one of the largest attacks since the war began.

Early Tuesday, Kyiv endured a sustained and intense assault as waves of Russian drones and ballistic missiles struck at least 27 locations across the Ukrainian capital. The attacks targeted residential buildings, schools, and critical infrastructure, causing widespread damage, multiple fires, and power outages across several districts.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko described the strikes as among the largest and most destructive the city has faced since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. He confirmed that 16 people were killed and 124 injured in the attacks. Among the casualties was a 62-year-old U.S. citizen, who died from shrapnel wounds in the Solomianskyi district, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. The man was found in a residential building opposite a site where medics were providing aid.

A particularly severe strike hit a nine-storey apartment block in Solomianskyi, destroying part of the building and leaving residents trapped under rubble. Other affected areas included educational institutions, with at least one kindergarten damaged on Kyiv’s eastern edge.

Reuters reporters on the ground witnessed swarms of drones overhead and heard what appeared to be missile launches. Air raid alerts remained active for more than seven hours.

The attacks were not limited to Kyiv. Other regions of Ukraine also came under fire, including the southern port city of Odesa, where 13 people were injured, and areas outside Kyiv where at least one person was wounded. Meanwhile, the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia reported several strikes, adding to the nationwide impact.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, condemned the attacks on Telegram, accusing Russia of continuing its "war on civilians" with targeted strikes on residential areas.

In response, Russian authorities claimed to have intercepted and destroyed 147 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory, including near Moscow. Moscow’s mayor reported a brief closure of the city’s airports due to drone threats and said air defence units successfully repelled recent attacks. 

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