Russian forces struck Kyiv early Friday, killing four and wounding 27, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Fires engulfed several districts, and rescue teams could not reach two bodies trapped in rubble. Emergency crews responded across the city as at least 11 residential buildings suffered severe damage.
Zelenskyy Denounces Attack on Civilians
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the assault a “deliberately calculated attack” targeting civilians and infrastructure. He said Russia used 430 drones and 18 missiles, including ballistic and aeroballistic types. Nine people required hospitalization, including a pregnant woman. Two children, aged seven and ten, suffered injuries during the strikes.
Falling debris sparked fires near medical facilities in Shevchenkivskyi and Holosiivskyi districts. Officials warned residents to remain in shelters and prepared for potential power and water outages.
Russian Gains Continue Amid Slow Progress
Russian forces also struck infrastructure and homes across Ukraine, injuring at least six more people, regional head Mykola Kalashnyk said. Ukrainian troops withdrew from villages in Zaporizhzhia amid heavy fighting.
Over the past month, Russia captured nine settlements in Donetsk, eight in Zaporizhzhia, seven in Dnipropetrovsk, and five in Kharkiv. Analysts said Russia’s siege of Pokrovsk progressed slowly, with elite forces spread thin. Despite battlefield advances, Ukraine limited Russian gains through steady defense and attrition tactics.
