Russia Launches Massive Attack on Kyiv, Killing at Least Five

Russia has launched a major overnight missile attack on Kyiv, killing at least five people and injuring 23, Ukrainian officials said. Multiple ballistic missiles struck the Ukrainian capital early Thursday, with more than a dozen explosions reported. Residential buildings, warehouses and other facilities were damaged, while a children’s hospital was also hit and fires broke out across the city. Parts of Kyiv were left without electricity, while emergency crews searched damaged buildings for people trapped beneath the rubble. Another person was reportedly killed in the wider Kyiv region.

Poland activated defensive military aviation operations in response to the Russian strikes near its border. Separately, Romania reported that a drone crashed in an uninhabited area of its territory during the attack.  The attack came hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that Ukrainian long range strikes were causing damage inside Russia, although he said they had not caused critical consequences.

Meanwhile, North Korean official Kim Yo Jong rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s claim that North Korea could send up to 50,000 additional troops to Russia, calling the allegation “groundless”. North Korea has previously sent thousands of troops to support Russia.  The latest escalation comes as Ukraine continues to expand its long range drone attacks against Russian energy and military infrastructure, while Moscow maintains heavy missile and drone strikes across Ukraine.