At least 21 people, including four children, have been confirmed dead after Russia launched the “second-largest aerial attack” on Kyiv since the start of its full-scale invasion.
Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv’s city military administration, said the children were aged between two and 17.
Dozens more were injured as powerful explosions ripped through Ukraine’s capital on Thursday, damaging buildings across all 10 districts of the city.
Ukraine’s air force said the Kremlin launched 629 air attack weapons, comprising 598 drones and 31 missiles. Strikes hit 33 sites, including the European Union (EU)’s offices and the British Council.
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The assault caused both the EU and the United Kingdom (UK) to summon the top Russian diplomats in Brussels and London.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack was a “horrific and deliberate killing of civilians” in an X post.
“The Russians understand only strength and pressure. For every strike, Moscow must feel the consequences,” he added, urging stronger sanctions against the Kremlin.
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The White House said US President Donald Trump was “not happy” but “not surprised” by the strikes, adding that he was watching the developments “intently”.
This is the first major combined Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv since Trump met Vladimir Putin, his Russian counterpart, in Alaska barely two weeks ago to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.
The historic meeting, however, fell short of securing a deal.
Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission president, said the EU was preparing a 19th package of sanctions on Russia and announced she would visit seven EU member states who shared a border with Russia and Belarus, its ally, over the next few days.
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Meanwhile, Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, said Moscow is still interested in peace talks, but noted that the “special military operation continues”.
Special military operation is Russia’s term for the war.
