Deadly Russian Drone Attack Hits Kyiv Apartment Block, Killing Four Amid Wide Strikes; Ukraine Retaliates

Russian Drone Devastates Kyiv Apartment Block Amid Intense Strikes; Ukraine Retaliates

Kyiv, Ukraine, endured a night of terror as a Russian drone directly impacted an apartment building in the eastern Lisovyi area, leading to the tragic deaths of at least four individuals. This incident was part of a widespread and deadly wave of aerial assaults targeting the Ukrainian capital and several other regions.

President Zelensky Condemns "Vile and Calculated" Attacks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vehemently condemned the Russian offensive, labeling the attacks as "vile and calculated." He reported a staggering figure of approximately 430 drones and 18 missiles launched, resulting in damage to dozens of high-rise structures across the city. A Kyiv resident named Vita recounted the shocking moment the drone struck her building, exploding on the other side, stating simply, "I saw it with my own eyes."

Kyiv Under Siege: Widespread Damage and Emergency Response

According to Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, residential buildings came under assault "in practically every district." The fire service confirmed that the drone striking the Lisovyi neighborhood's apartment block on Kyiv's left bank hit the seventh floor. The subsequent explosion caused all floors from the eighth down to the fourth to collapse, a spokesman informed the BBC.

Emergency crews, supported by two cranes, tirelessly worked through the wreckage, clearing broken sections of walls and shattered glass. The devastation extended beyond the apartment blocks; falling debris and fires damaged multiple high-rise buildings, a hospital, a school, and administrative offices. Rescuers successfully pulled more than 40 people to safety, including 14 from a residential fire and one individual from beneath rubble. Critically, Kyiv's energy infrastructure was severely impacted, leaving parts of the capital without crucial heating.

Ukrainian MP Lisa Yasko conveyed the sheer intensity of the bombardment, noting, "Very often there was the feeling that your bed was just shaking together with the windows." Medical teams were immediately deployed across the city, and Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed nine hospitalizations, with one man in an "extremely serious condition."

Attacks Beyond the Capital and Ukrainian Counter-Offensive

The aggression was not confined to Kyiv. A separate drone attack tragically killed two people at a market in Chornomorsk, located in southern Ukraine. The Ukrainian air force also warned of further drone and guided bomb threats in other regions, including Sumy. These recent strikes follow an earlier Russian offensive less than a week prior, which also resulted in six fatalities and significant damage to residential and energy infrastructure.

In a direct response, Ukraine launched its own overnight attack on the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. Russian officials reported a fire erupting at the vital Sheskharis oil refinery, alongside damage to a ship and apartment blocks. Krasnodar governor Veniamin Kondratyev detailed injuries to three crew members and another man, with the main oil depot and a container terminal sustaining damage. President Zelensky confirmed the use of long-range "Long Neptune" cruise missiles in these Ukrainian counter-attacks, though specific targets were not disclosed. Mayor Andrei Kravchenko declared a state of emergency, and Reuters reported that oil exports from the port had been halted.

Ongoing Conflict and Sanctions Debate

President Zelensky reiterated his steadfast demand for "no exceptions" to Western sanctions targeting Russian energy. This statement came shortly after the United States granted Hungary an exemption from such sanctions. The relentless exchange of strikes underscores the brutal reality of the ongoing conflict, continuously shaping the lives of millions in Ukraine.