Kyiv experienced a brutal night of attacks as Russia launched one of its largest barrages against the Ukrainian capital since the full-scale invasion began. The intense assault, involving a massive wave of drones and missiles, left a trail of destruction and death across the city, particularly impacting residential areas. Emergency services are continuing the grim search for victims trapped under the rubble of hit buildings.
The nine-hour barrage, which Ukraine’s air force reported included over 440 drones and 32 missiles nationwide, pounded Kyiv from midnight well into Tuesday morning. At least 28 people were confirmed killed in the capital, with dozens more injured, and authorities noted the death toll in Kyiv was revised upwards multiple times as recovery efforts progressed. The attacks struck at least 27 locations across the city, damaging homes, critical infrastructure, and even educational facilities.
Residential Building Hit Hard in Solomianskyi
Among the most devastating impacts was a ballistic missile strike on a nine-storey residential building in Kyiv’s southwestern Solomianskyi district. Travelling at high speed, the cruise missile slammed into the ordinary apartment block in the early hours of Tuesday, destroying at least 35 apartments and gutting an entire section of the structure.
By Wednesday afternoon, a significant number of bodies – initially reported at 23 from this single building, contributing to the higher citywide toll – had been recovered from the immense piles of debris. A 62-year-old US citizen was among those confirmed killed in the Solomianskyi attack, highlighting the international tragedy of the war.
Scenes of Chaos and Survival
Survivors recounted moments of sheer terror and chaos as the attacks hit. Evhen Povarenkov stared from behind police tape at the ruined shell of his apartment building in Solomianskyi. His windows were gone, his balcony unstable. Below, personal belongings were scattered everywhere, bedsheets tangled in tree branches.
Povarenkov, a 43-year-old warehouse worker, was in bed when the missile struck meters away. “There was heat, fire, and smoke,” he recalled. He lost consciousness, waking to hear his elderly mother screaming in the next room. Neighbours helped him pry open his warped door to rescue his mother, who sustained severe injuries, including broken collarbones and internal damage requiring surgery.
Other residents described similar horrors. Pensioner Arcadiy Volenchuk, 60, spoke of “total chaos” with people screaming and children crying amidst the wreckage. Alla, a 69-year-old teacher, described navigating a deadly path outside through burning cars with exploding fuel tanks, falling debris, and broken glass. Oleksandr Bondarchuk, a 64-year-old disabled man living near the impact, couldn’t reach a shelter and lay terrified as his home was destroyed. “It was terrible,” he said. “Everything was destroyed.” Many survivors lost everything and struggled to find immediate shelter.
The Strain on Hospitals
Kyiv’s hospitals were quickly overwhelmed with casualties. Dr. Serhii Dubrov, director of the 12th Kyiv City Clinical Hospital, felt the strikes begin around midnight. Within hours, his hospital received 27 patients ranging from 18 to 95 years old. Injuries included soft tissue damage, lacerations from glass, traumatic brain injuries, and severe internal wounds requiring urgent surgery. Dr. Dubrov noted these are typical injuries from such attacks and highlighted the particular danger to the elderly and infirm who cannot easily reach shelters.
Search and Rescue Efforts Continue
Rescue workers faced a daunting task amidst the collapsed structure of the Solomianskyi building. The search and rescue operation continued intensely into Wednesday afternoon, with emergency teams still discovering more bodies buried deep within the rubble. Officials acknowledged the difficulty of determining the final number of victims until the painstaking work is complete. Police tape sealed off the area as the search went on, preventing residents like Evhen Povarenkov from accessing their ruined homes.
Broader Context and International Impact
This wave of attacks, described by Kyiv’s mayor as an “utter nightmare,” occurred as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was travelling to Canada for the G7 conference. Some observers in Ukraine suspected the timing was a deliberate, brutal message from Russia. The sheer scale of the assault underscored Ukraine’s critical and urgent need for enhanced international support, particularly advanced air defence systems capable of intercepting the barrage of missiles and drones.
However, Zelensky’s trip also saw setbacks. His hoped-for bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump did not materialize as Trump departed the G7 early due to developments in the Middle East. A meeting of European leaders on Ukraine also failed to yield a joint statement of support, a disappointment for the Ukrainian delegation seeking a strong show of international solidarity.
As Zelensky returned home, residents gathered near the devastated building in Solomianskyi, laying flowers and mourning the lives lost. The scene remains a stark reminder of the ongoing war’s human cost and the daily reality of terror faced by civilians in Ukraine.
