Russia unleashed one of its deadliest attacks on Kyiv early Tuesday, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens more in a wave of strikes that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described as "one of the most horrific attacks" on the capital.
An entire section of an apartment building was destroyed in the assault, with rescuers searching for survivors beneath the rubble. “Right now in Kyiv, efforts are underway to rescue people from under the rubble of an ordinary residential building. It's still unclear how many remain trapped,” Zelensky wrote on Facebook.
The overnight barrage targeted 27 locations across Kyiv, according to Interior Minister Igor Klymenko. Residential areas, schools, and key infrastructure were damaged, forcing Kyiv residents to take shelter in underground metro stations.
AFP journalists described scenes of residents gathered on station floors, some with pets, while Ukrainian air defenses responded to the strikes above.
Among those killed was a 62-year-old US citizen who died near the site where medics were assisting the wounded, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
Aside from the devastation in Kyiv, Russian strikes also hit Odesa, killing one and injuring 10, while further casualties were reported in Chernigiv. Zelensky said that 440 drones and 32 missiles were launched across Ukraine during the attack.
“This is how Russia fights. It kills civilians in ordinary homes, deliberately,” said Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak.
Zelensky called on the international community not to “turn a blind eye,” warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin was continuing the war because he could afford to.
Diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire remain at a standstill. Kyiv and its allies have rejected Moscow’s demands, while Russia refuses to agree to unconditional terms. Zelensky had earlier expressed hopes of meeting US President Donald Trump during the G7 summit, but the two leaders were not expected to meet after Trump’s early departure.