Kyiv death toll rises to 30 as Russia intensifies missile attacks
The death toll from a large-scale Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv has risen to at least 30, Ukrainian authorities said on Friday. The barrage, which occurred overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, also wounded 91 people, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city's military administration.
The attack targeted residential areas in the city centre, with explosions heard for hours. Mayor Vitali Klitschko described it as the 'enemy's most massive attack on the capital.' Ukraine's state emergency service confirmed that three more bodies were pulled from the rubble, raising the death toll from an earlier count.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his forces would 'definitely' retaliate, as he inspected a partially destroyed apartment block. He pressed the United States for licences to manufacture Patriot air-defence missiles, stating that 'defending against ballistic missiles is impossible without a sufficient number of missiles for Patriot systems.'
The European Union's top diplomat proposed new sanctions on Moscow, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack and repeated a ceasefire call. 'Attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure wherever they occur are a clear violation of international humanitarian law and must stop immediately,' said his spokesman, Stephane Dujarric.
The Kremlin vowed to further ramp up 'pressure' on Kyiv, sticking to its uncompromising stance. Russia launched 496 drones and 74 missiles, including hard-to-intercept ballistic projectiles, according to Ukraine's air force, which reported shooting down 48 missiles and 476 drones.
The attack caused significant damage. The Ukrainian branch of the Red Cross said its key warehouse was destroyed, with around $2 million worth of humanitarian aid lost. Debris also damaged a building housing diplomats; EU spokeswoman Anitta Hipper confirmed that EU staff were safe.
In Kryvyi Rig, two people were wounded when a missile struck a densely populated area, the head of the central city's military administration said early Friday.
Kyiv residents described the horror. Sabina Mambetova, a 32-year-old factory worker, stood outside the rubble of her home in the eastern Darnytskyi district. 'Half the building has been destroyed. The roof is gone. I've been left without an apartment, alone with my child. I don't know what to do now,' she said.
Some 52,000 people, including 4,500 children, sought shelter in underground metro stations — the highest number in recent years, according to the Kyiv metro. Others hid in basements or corridors as blasts shook buildings across the city.
A U.S. official told AFP that President Donald Trump wanted a peace deal to end the 'senseless killing' in Ukraine. Zelenskyy, after talks with Finland's President Alexander Stubb, called on allies to send more air defence systems.
