OLEKSIJEVA DRUZHKIVKA, UKRAINE – MAY 23: View of destruction after Russian shelling of the non-public sector in Oleksijeva Druzhkivka, Donetsk oblast, Ukraine on Might 23, 2025. (Picture by Jose Colon/Anadolu by way of Getty Photos)
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Russia launched dozens of assault drones and ballistic missiles at Kyiv in a single day in one of many greatest mixed aerial assaults on the Ukrainian capital of the three-year battle, damaging a number of condo buildings and injuring 15 individuals.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy mentioned in a social media submit it had been a “powerful night time” for Ukraine, and known as for brand spanking new worldwide sanctions to stress Moscow into agreeing to a ceasefire.
Within the early hours of the morning, Reuters witnesses noticed and heard successive waves of drones flying over Kyiv, and a collection of explosions jolted the town. The capital additionally reverberated with the sound of anti-aircraft batteries attempting to deliver down the drones.
Photos from Reuters photographers confirmed an orange-red glow lighting up the town as plumes of smoke wafted throughout the horizon. On the highest ground of 1 condo constructing, smoke and flames billowed out of a balcony window as firefighters tried to strategy.
The Kyiv metropolis army administration and the police reported harm in six districts of the Ukrainian capital, and a complete thus far of 15 individuals wounded.
As daybreak broke on Saturday, residents at an condo constructing simply exterior the centre of Kyiv had been surveying the harm brought on by drones.
Dozens of home windows had been shattered, and balconies on one facet of the constructing had been smashed.
“I want they’d comply with a ceasefire. To bomb individuals like this,” mentioned Olha Chyrukha, a 64-year-old resident.
“The poor youngsters! My three-year-old granddaughter was screaming scared.”
The Obolon district on the north-western fringe of Kyiv was the worst hit, officers mentioned. A resident there, 42-year-old Olha Kalina, mentioned her condo was struck.
She was spending the night time along with her personal mother and father elsewhere, however two of her youngsters, aged 20 and 13, had been within the condo. “The youngsters rang me at three within the morning and mentioned: ‘Mum, we have been hit. The balcony’s on hearth’.”
Kalina rushed to the scene, and located her youngsters sheltering in a close-by underground automotive park, their faces blackened from smoke. She mentioned the condo was now not liveable due to hearth harm.
Ceasefire talks
Each Ukraine and Russia mentioned they’ll adjust to a request from U.S. President Donald Trump to carry recent talks a few peace deal. The 2 sides carried out a serious prisoner alternate on Friday, which Trump recommended may very well be step one in direction of extra optimistic developments.
Nonetheless, Moscow and Kyiv have accused one another of not being critical about looking for an finish to the preventing.
In a submit on the Telegram social media platform, Zelenskiy mentioned: “With every such assault, the world turns into satisfied that the rationale for the battle being dragged out is Moscow.”
“Solely further sanctions in opposition to key sectors of the Russian economic system will power Moscow to comply with a ceasefire.”
Ukraine’s air power mentioned that Russia had fired 14 ballistic missiles at targets throughout Ukraine in a single day and launched 250 long-range drones, with Kyiv the principle goal.
There was no fast remark from Russia on the in a single day assaults.
The strikes adopted a number of days of Ukrainian drone assaults – some 800 assaults – on targets inside Russia, together with the capital Moscow.
Russian International Minister Sergei Lavrov had vowed on Friday to answer these assaults.