At least two people were killed and 77 injured in a massive wave of missile and drone attacks on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, early Sunday. The attacks, which sparked fires and shook buildings, were carried out by Russia using 600 drones and 90 missiles, including a powerful hypersonic ballistic missile.
The assault damaged “every district of the city,” according to Kyiv mayor Vitaliy Klitschko, and hit cultural institutions, including a museum devoted to the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, which was destroyed. One of the city’s oldest markets also burned down in the attack.
Russia’s Attack on Kyiv
Ukraine’s air force said most of the drones and more than half of the missiles were intercepted by air defense forces. The attack came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned of an imminent large-scale strike involving a hypersonic missile, citing European and U.S. intelligence.
The European Union has announced plans to send more support to help Ukraine reinforce its air defense systems, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemning the attack as a “terror against civilians” that shows the Kremlin’s “brutality and disregard for human life and peace negotiations.”
Russia’s defense ministry confirmed the use of the hypersonic missile, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has said can travel “like a meteorite” and cannot be stopped by air defense. The attack is seen as a retaliation for a drone strike on a college in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine, which Ukraine denies carrying out.
Implications of the Attack
The attack has significant implications for the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with negotiations to end the war stalled. The U.S. has been distracted by its own war with Iran, and the Trump administration has loosened some sanctions on Russian oil exports, which has helped fuel the war on Ukraine.
Ukrainian forces have been using long-range drone strikes to damage oil refineries and depots inside Russia, as well as ports where oil is exported. The conflict has had far-reaching consequences, including a significant humanitarian crisis and economic instability in the region.
The attack on Kyiv is a stark reminder of the ongoing violence and devastation in Ukraine, and the need for a lasting and just peace in the region. As the conflict continues to escalate, the international community must come together to support Ukraine and work towards a peaceful resolution.
