Russia launched its largest missile and drone attack on Kyiv since the war began, killing one and injuring 26, as pressure mounts on Ukraine's defenses, reports suggest. (Image courtesy: X/@ZelenskyyUa)
Kyiv woke up to devastation on Friday after Russia launched the biggest drone and missile attack on the capital since its invasion began in 2022, according to a report published by The Associated Press on Saturday. The overnight assault, the report said, killed one person and injured at least 26, including a child, according to Ukrainian officials.
“It was a harsh, sleepless night,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, per the AP.
Emergency responders battled through the destruction, clearing more than 300 tons of debris and tending to injuries, the report said, adding that debris filled streets, and five ambulances were destroyed during the rescue.
Wedding photographer Alya Shahlai, 23, had her home destroyed in the attack. “We were all in the (basement) shelter because it was so loud, staying home would have been suicidal,” she told the Associated Press. “We went down 10 minutes before and then there was a loud explosion and the lights went out in the shelter, people were panicking.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s air defense claimed that Russia launched 550 missiles and drones, predominantly Shahed drones.
At least 270 of the targets were reportedly shot down, but others struck five regions, including Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk. Kyiv bore the worst of it, with at least 14 hospitalised.
“Sleepless night and absolutely horrible in Kyiv,” Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote as economy minister Yuliia Svyrydenko called it “a deliberate act of terror.”
Zelenskyy spoke with US President Donald Trump in a “very important and productive” call just hours after the attack, during which the duo discussed air defense assistance and cooperative weapons manufacturing.
“We had a very good call, I think,” Trump told reporters. But when pressed on peace prospects, he said, “I don’t know. I can’t tell you whether or not that’s going to happen,”, as reported by the AP.
Around the same time, Trump also spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, following which he reportedly said, “No, I didn’t make any progress with him today at all. I’m very disappointed.”
Putin’s adviser Yuri Ushakov has said that Russia will not back down from its stated goals. Peace talks are still at an impasse, although a prisoner exchange between injured Ukrainian soldiers did take place Friday.
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