28 August,2025 12:52 PM IST | Kyiv | mid-day online correspondent
Ukrainian air defence shoot Russian drones down during a night mass drone and missile strikes on Kyiv on Thursday. PIC/AFP
A large-scale Russian drone and missile strike, including a rare attack in the city centre, early on Thursday killed at least eight people and injured 45 in Ukraine's capital, local authorities reported. It marked the first significant combined Russian assault on Kyiv in weeks, as United States (US)-led peace efforts to resolve the ongoing war faced increasing difficulty.
Among the victims were two children, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported, citing initial information. The death toll is expected to rise further as rescue operations continue to pull people out from beneath the rubble, news agency AP reported.
"Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on X following the attack, adding, "We expect a response from everyone in the world who has called for peace but now more often stays silent rather than taking principled positions."
Russian forces launched decoy drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, said Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's city administration, AP reported. At least 20 sites across seven districts of Kyiv were hit. Nearly 100 buildings were damaged, including a shopping mall in the heart of the city, with thousands of windows shattered, Tkachenko added.
For one of the few times since the invasion began, Russian strikes reached the central part of Kyiv. Residents rushed to clear shattered glass and debris from damaged structures. Smoke poured from a collapsed five-story residential building in the Darnytskyi district, which had been directly hit. The acrid smell of burning materials lingered in the air as firefighters worked to contain the fire.
As the rescue operation continued, emergency responders searched for survivors and recovered bodies. Locals gathered nearby, waiting to hear news of their loved ones trapped under the rubble. Among them was a man anxiously awaiting updates on his wife and son.
Bodies wrapped in black bags were laid out beside the building. Residents of the area said it was not the first time their district had been targeted.
Oleksandr Khilko, who arrived at the site after a missile struck the building where his sister lived, recounted hearing screams from people trapped beneath the debris. He managed to pull out three survivors, including a boy.
"It's inhuman, striking civilians," Khilko said, his clothes covered in dust and the tips of his fingers blackened with soot. "With every cell of my body I want this war to end as soon as possible. I wait, but every time the air raid alarm sounds, I am afraid," he added.
Ukraine's national railway operator, Ukrzaliznytsia, reported damage to its infrastructure in the Vinnytsia and Kyiv regions, leading to delays and rerouting of trains, reported AP.
This strike represents the first major combined Russian drone and missile assault on Kyiv since US President Donald Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska earlier this month to discuss potential pathways to end the war in Ukraine. While diplomatic efforts initially appeared to gain momentum after the meeting, few concrete steps have emerged to move the process forward.
Western leaders have accused Putin of stalling peace negotiations while Russian forces continue to advance deeper into Ukraine. Ukrainian military officials this week acknowledged that Russian troops had broken into an eighth region of Ukraine as they continued their push for more territory.
Zelenskyy has called for tougher US sanctions to cripple the Russian economy, should Putin fail to show any genuine intention to end the conflict. He reiterated his demand for stronger sanctions following Thursday's attack.
"All deadlines have already been broken, dozens of opportunities for diplomacy ruined," Zelenskyy said.
Trump, frustrated with Putin's delay in responding to an American proposal for direct peace talks with Zelenskyy, remarked on Friday that he expected to decide on the next steps within two weeks if such talks were not scheduled.
(With AP inputs)
