Ukrainian authorities said that four people were killed and 10 others were injured in fresh Russian overnight attacks across several regions of Ukraine, while the death toll from Thursday’s massive bombardment of Kyiv has risen to 30.
A day of mourning has been declared in Kyiv after what is being described as the most severe Russian strike on the Ukrainian capital since the invasion began in 2022.
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The death toll rose to 30 after search-and-rescue teams pulled three more bodies from the rubble. Earlier, 27 deaths and 91 injuries had been reported.
According to European Union spokesperson Anita Hipper, the attack caused entire apartment blocks to collapse, struck a building where ambulances had been stationed, and damaged a building housing several diplomats. One of the main warehouses of the Ukrainian Red Cross, where humanitarian aid was stored, was also destroyed.
During a visit to the affected areas, President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of targeting civilian and political sites in order to force Ukraine to surrender.
“Russia is striking political targets solely to force Ukraine to give up its statehood,” Zelensky said, promising that Ukraine would respond to these attacks.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko described the bombardment as the “most massive” attack on the capital since the start of the war and declared Friday a day of mourning.
In the Sumy region, a Russian drone struck a home, killing two women, an elderly man and a girl under the age of two. Three other people were injured, according to the head of the regional military administration, Oleh Khryhorov.
In Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, seven people were injured after a missile strike on a residential area, said Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the city’s Defense Council.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would continue increasing pressure on Ukraine in order to achieve its goals.
Zelensky again called on Western allies to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses, while expressing hope that the issue would be part of discussions at the upcoming NATO summit.
US President Donald Trump said he wants a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia to put an end to what he called the “senseless killings.”
Germany said the attack showed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has no willingness to negotiate, while France criticized Moscow’s insistence on continuing the war.
The bombardments were also strongly condemned by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who called for de-escalation and the achievement of a ceasefire.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said the strikes were a response to what it called Ukraine’s “terrorist acts” against Russian infrastructure. According to Moscow, the targets were military industry enterprises and energy infrastructure in Kyiv and the surrounding region.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has stepped up drone attacks on refineries and fuel depots on Russian territory, causing fuel supply difficulties in some parts of Russia.
