What we Know About the Russian Attack on Kyiv
UKRAINE – Ukrainian authorities on said that at least 14 people, including 3 children died after a Russian attack on Kyiv early Thursday.
The Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that as of 11 am local time (0800GMT), 14 deaths had been recorded, including a 2-year-old girl, a 14-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl.
Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko announced that Friday, Aug. 29, will be a day of mourning in the Ukrainian capital to honor the victims.
“Tomorrow, August 29, has been declared a day of mourning in Kyiv. In memory of the victims of the massive enemy attack on the capital,” he said on Telegram, adding that flags will be lowered on municipal and state buildings, while entertainment events will be banned.
Earlier in the morning, officials had reported 12 fatalities and 48 injuries. The Kyiv City Military Administration (KMVA) said the overall casualty figure remained at 48 as of 9.34 am (0634GMT).
The prosecutor’s office said the consequences of the attack were recorded in eight districts of the capital, which are:
- Darnytskyi
- Dniprovskyi
- Solomyanskyi
- Shevchenkivskyi
- Holosiivskyi
- Obolonskyi
- Svyatoshynskyi
- Desnyanskyi
In the Darnytskyi district, part of a five-story residential building was destroyed, and rescue operations are underway to search for people trapped under the rubble. Windows in nearby high-rise buildings were shattered, cars were damaged, and private homes sustained destruction, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Meanwhile, Katarina Mathernova, the European Union’s ambassador to Ukraine, confirmed that the EU Delegation building in Kyiv was severely damaged by the shock wave.
“Russia’s ‘peace’ last night: a massive strike on Kyiv with drones and ballistic missiles … The EU Delegation was severely damaged by the shock wave. This is Moscow’s true answer to peace efforts,” she said on social media platform X.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the confirmed death toll has risen to 14, including three children, calling it “a horrific and deliberate killing of civilians.”
“The Russians are not choosing to end the war, only new strikes. Overnight in Kyiv, dozens of buildings were damaged: residential houses, office centers, civilian enterprises. Among them also the building where the European Union Delegation to Ukraine is located,” he said on X.
He accused Moscow of rejecting diplomacy, stressing: “These Russian missiles and attack drones today are a clear response to everyone in the world who, for weeks and months, has been calling for a ceasefire. Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table.”
Zelenskyy called for reactions from countries including China and Hungary, saying the death of children should prompt strong responses.
He also urged “new, tough sanctions against Russia for everything it is doing.”
Russian Envoy to Brussels Summoned by EU
The EU summoned the Russian envoy in Brussels on Thursday following the latest airstrikes on Kyiv, which also hit the bloc’s diplomatic representation building.
“No diplomatic mission should ever be a target. In response, we are summoning the Russian envoy in Brussels,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced through the US social media company X.
Russia and Ukraine Exchange Drone Attacks
Russia and Ukraine on Thursday reported large-scale overnight drone and missile attacks, with Moscow saying its forces downed 102 Ukrainian drones, while Kyiv claimed to have neutralized nearly 600 incoming air targets.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defense systems destroyed 102 Ukrainian aircraft-type drones between late Wednesday and early Thursday over several regions, including Rostov, Samara, Krasnodar, Volgograd, Voronezh, Saratov, Crimea, the Black Sea, and the Sea of Azov.
Officials said debris from downed drones caused a fire at a locomotive depot in Volgograd, temporarily halting train traffic, and damaged residential property in Rostov, where more than 50 houses were evacuated.
Ukraine’s Air Force, meanwhile, said Russia launched 629 aerial weapons overnight, including Shahed drones, Iskander and Dagger ballistic missiles, and Kh-101 cruise missiles.
Of these, 589 were intercepted or suppressed, according to Kyiv, though strikes were reported in 13 locations across the country.
“Air defense forces neutralized 563 Shahed-type drones and simulator UAVs, along with ballistic and cruise missiles,” the Air Force said on Telegram.
The Russian Defense Ministry said its retaliatory strikes targeted “exclusively military facilities and enterprises of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex.”
The exchange of claims underscores the intensifying drone and missile warfare, with both sides reporting large-scale aerial attacks in recent days amid stalled frontlines.
