Russia Intensifies Missile and Drone Attacks on Kyiv and Key Ukrainian Cities

In the early hours of Friday, Kyiv was shaken by a series of explosions as Ukrainian air defense units scrambled to respond to an extensive Russian missile and drone assault, officials reported.

The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed that Russian forces launched a barrage of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles targeting the capital and several other cities overnight. Fires erupted across Kyiv, including at a 16-story residential building. Kyiv's mayor, Vitali Klitschko, reported at least three injuries so far and warned the casualty count might increase as the attacks continued.

In recent months, Russia has intensified its use of unmanned drones, deploying over 1,000 weekly against both military and civilian sites in Ukraine, with one night last week seeing more than 300 drones launched. Earlier this week, Moscow signaled strong retaliation threats against Ukraine following a bold drone strike on Russian airfields the previous weekend.

Alongside military developments, diplomatic commentary has emerged, with some leaders suggesting that the conflict resembles a prolonged struggle between two opposing forces needing resolution through negotiation.

Despite international calls for de-escalation, the Kremlin has consistently rejected demands for an unconditional ceasefire.

Since the start of the year, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that Russian forces have launched nearly 27,700 aerial bombs, almost 11,200 Shahed drones, about 9,000 additional attack drones, and over 700 missiles, including ballistic types, against Ukrainian targets.

President Zelensky characterized this relentless pace of strikes as a deliberate strategy from the onset of the full-scale war, highlighting how Russia has reorganized its state apparatus to conduct large-scale attacks abroad with impunity.

Prior to the overnight bombardment, Russian forces targeted the southern city of Kherson on Thursday morning with high-explosive aerial bombs, severely damaging the Regional State Administration building and nearby structures.

On Wednesday night, Russian attacks on Pryluky in the Chernihiv region resulted in at least five fatalities, including a one-year-old child, according to Ukrainian officials.