The people of Kyiv endured a bitterly painful night as Russia launched record numbers of drones and missiles. This attack killed at least 14 people, mostly civilians. The attack, which occurred overnight into Tuesday, marks one of the most devastating strikes on the Ukrainian capital in nearly a year. With search and rescue efforts still ongoing, the damage is just beginning to be understood.
This aerial assault resulted in hundreds of munitions being dropped on Kyiv with damage reported at around 27 sites throughout multiple districts. Ukrainian officials first stated that 15 had died, but then updated the number to account for the fact that rescue efforts were still underway. By midday Tuesday, emergency responders had worked around the clock recovering five dead bodies from the crumbled structure. These guys worked tirelessly throughout each day to find additional victims.
Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko wrote on Telegram, mentioning that residential buildings and critical infrastructure were heavily damaged in the attack. A devastated family consisted of an unfortunately elderly man, 62, who died in a neighboring home. This was happening when medics were still occupied treating other wounded victims.
Rescue operations were still ongoing as of Tuesday evening. Authorities worried that more people might still be buried under the crumbled asphalt.
“Rescuers, police and medics are working. They are doing everything they can to help the victims, clear the rubble and save lives,” – an unidentified individual involved in the rescue efforts.
This latest attack marks a worrying tempo, as in the past several weeks, Russia has increased the scale and scope of its airborne attacks on Ukraine. In a single night over the past weeks, Russian forces have fired as many as 479 drones and missiles. This represents a dramatic increase in the number and depth of attacks. This most recent strike was just the fourth time this month that more than 400 munitions were dropped in a single night.
Russian forces fired just 544 long-range munitions in the entirety of June 2024. The escalation has raised concerns among Ukrainian officials and international observers alike about the strategic intent behind Russia’s military operations.
Kyiv’s residents bore witness up close to the horror of the attack. Oleksandr Ustenko described the moment of impact, saying, “Then we heard a sound of a missile. At some point, everything started shaking, the ceiling shook, and the door was blown out.” He further lamented the destruction of his apartment and vehicle, stating, “We barely made it to the street. We are still here. The apartment is almost destroyed, our car is destroyed.”
Fellow resident Victoria shared her story as the mayhem unfolded around her. “The windows were blown out. It was very scary. Adrenaline was pumping. Just survival instincts,” she said. For instance, Victoria needed to claw her way out of her apartment blocked in by her neighbors’ doors.
“I thought I was ready to die and wasn’t afraid of anything. But today I realized that I’m scared. For the first time, I was scared,” – Victoria.
As rescue operations continued, Mayor Klitschko remained hopeful while still coming to terms with the tragic reality. “We hope that no dead will be found under the rubble, but we cannot rule it out,” he stated.
What’s most interesting is that this aggressive international attack occurred in the same time period as…U.S. President Donald Trump announced he would return to Washington earlier than anticipated from the Group of Seven summit in Canada.Ukrainian officials had long dreamed of a positive and powerful dialogue with Trump to shore up support at home as Moscow launched its ricocheted attacks intensifying.
Russian defense ministry officials reported that their targets included “military-industrial complex facilities in the Kyiv region and Zaporizhzhia.” Yet, as the tremendous civilian price of these indiscriminate strikes becomes clear, the legitimacy and intent behind such military action should be seriously questioned.
