Russia Launches Massive Overnight Strike on Ukraine, Killing Nine in Kharkiv and Kyiv

Russia carried out a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine between Sunday and Monday, firing 70 missiles and more than 600 drones, according to Ukrainian authorities. Five rescuers were killed in Kharkiv and four people were killed in Kyiv, where about 30 others were reported wounded.

Ukraine’s military said air defenses intercepted 50 missiles and 582 drones. In Kyiv, the strike also damaged an old architectural complex regarded as one of the city’s most prominent symbols. Fires broke out in several districts across the capital, along with damage to homes and civilian infrastructure.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the assault on Monday morning, calling it “one of the most serious crimes of Russia.” He urged a strong response from the G7, saying there should be “more pressure on the aggressor and more assistance to Ukraine’s air defense systems, especially anti-missile capabilities.”

Emergency services reported fires and damage in multiple Kyiv districts. In Obolonskyi, 30 vehicles burned and warehouses caught fire; in Podilskyi, several private homes burned; in Pecherskyi, residential buildings were hit. In Solomianskyi, a 9-story building caught fire on the 5th and 6th floors, and 12 people, including 3 children, were rescued. In Holosiivskyi, warehouses and a critical infrastructure facility were hit. In Shevchenkivskyi, a 25-story building was struck, 3 people were rescued, and one man was pulled from an elevator and treated for burns. Other damage was reported in Dniprovskyi, Desnianskyi, Darnytskyi, and Sviatoshynskyi districts.