Weeks after Russian President suggested that the war in may be nearing an end, Kyiv on Sunday (local time) said that Moscow launched a mass drone and missile attack.
The attack, which was carried out using the powerful hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile, killed at least two people in Kyiv, marking the third time that Moscow has used the weapon in the four-year war.
Russia launches aerial assault in Kyiv
The intense aerial assault damaged buildings across the Ukrainian capital, including areas near government offices, residential buildings, schools, and a market, officials said, adding that at least 83 people were injured, AP reported.
The attack included 600 strike drones and 90 air-, sea-, and ground-launched missiles, according to Ukraine’s Air Force. Ukrainian air defenses destroyed or jammed 549 and 55 missiles. Around 19 missiles failed to reach their targets, the Air Force said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr , in a post on Telegram, said that the Oreshnik missile, which can carry either nuclear or conventional warheads, struck the city of Bila Tserkva in the Kyiv region. The intended target, however, was not immediately clear.
Shortly after the attack, Moscow’s defense ministry confirmed using the Oreshnik missile, along with other missile types, to strike Ukrainian “military command and control facilities,” air bases, and military industrial enterprises. It, however, did not specify where the targets were, but added that the attack was in retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on civilian facilities in Moscow, without providing further details.
Kyiv allies condemn Russian strikes
Kyiv’s European allies, including France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Friedrich Merz, condemned the Russian strikes and the use of the Oreshnik missile in statements published on Sunday. Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, said top diplomats from EU states will meet within days to “discuss how to dial up the international pressure on Russia.”
Ukraine struggles to intercept ballistic missiles
After the attack, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces struggled to intercept all the ballistic missiles and that most of the strikes hit Kyiv, the primary target of the attack.
The apparent interception failures underscored Ukraine’s chronic shortage of air defense missiles capable of downing ballistic missiles, AP reported. Kyiv relies heavily on US air defense systems to intercept such weapons, but interceptors remain in short supply and are among Ukraine’s most urgent requests to its Western partners.
Ukraine’s emergency service said in a Telegram post that damage was recorded at 50 locations across several districts of the capital, including residential buildings, shopping centres, schools, and shopping malls. It added that police department buildings were also damaged.
Fires continued burning into the morning, complicating rescue efforts as buildings collapsed following the blasts.
Putin denounces drone strike on college dormitory
Russia’s overnight attack on the Ukrainian capital came days after Putin denounced a drone strike on a college dormitory in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine, which Moscow blames on , and ordered the Russian military to submit its proposals for retaliation. He said there were no military or law enforcement facilities near the college.
The death toll from the strike in Starobilsk has risen to 21 as authorities concluded search-and-rescue operations. The press service of Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations said late on Saturday that 42 other people had been wounded in the attack, which was carried out the night before. The Kremlin-installed authorities of the Luhansk region announced two days of mourning on Sunday and Monday to honor the victims.
At an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC), convened at Russia’s request following the strike, Ukrainian Ambassador Andrii Melnyk rejected Russia’s allegations of war crimes, calling them a “pure propaganda show” and insisting that the May 22 operations “exclusively targeted the Russian war machine.”
- The use of hypersonic missiles marks a significant escalation in Russia’s military capabilities in the ongoing conflict.
- The attack highlights the vulnerabilities in Ukraine’s air defense systems, particularly against ballistic missiles.
- International condemnation of Russia’s actions suggests increasing global pressure on Moscow amid the conflict.
