Kyiv (Ukraine): Russia executed one of the largest combined aerial assaults of the ongoing conflict overnight, deploying its highly sophisticated Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile alongside a massive swarm of drones and cruise missiles targeting Ukraine’s capital and the surrounding region. The intense bombardment resulted in at least two fatalities and left over 80 people injured, while causing widespread structural damage across every district of Kyiv. The deployment marks only the third confirmed combat use of the nuclear-capable intermediate-range weapon, signaling a severe escalation in regional hostilities.
According to statements released by the Ukrainian Air Force, the coordinated strike involved roughly 600 strike drones and 90 air, sea, and ground-launched missiles. While Ukrainian air defence units and electronic jamming systems successfully neutralized 549 drones and 55 missiles, several advanced projectiles managed to breach the defensive perimeter. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed via Telegram that the sophisticated Oreshnik missile specifically targeted the municipality of Bila Tserkva, located approximately 90 kilometres south of the capital city, though the primary strategic objective of the strike remains unclear.
The overnight bombardment shook the foundations of central Kyiv, damaging critical infrastructure, residential high-rises, commercial warehouses, and educational facilities. Significant blast damage was reported at prominent landmarks near the city centre, including the National Art Museum, the Ukrainian House cultural centre, and the historic building housing the national postal service on Independence Square. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha noted that even the Foreign Ministry building sustained structural damage, marking a rare direct impact on top-tier government infrastructure.
Prior to the attack, both Ukrainian intelligence and Western partners had issued warnings regarding an imminent, high-intensity Russian strike, allowing many residents to seek safety in underground metro stations and designated bomb shelters. Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously lauded the Oreshnik system, claiming the missile travels at ten times the speed of sound and possesses the kinetic energy to penetrate deeply fortified subterranean structures. As emergency crews continue to sift through the smouldering wreckage across 40 distinct locations in the capital, local municipal authorities fear the casualty count could rise further.
