Russia strikes Kyiv with ballistic missiles and drones early Thursday, September 24, killing two people and injuring eight others as debris fell across several districts of the Ukrainian capital, according to Ukrainian officials and Reuters. The overnight barrage damaged residential buildings, medical facilities, warehouses, vehicles and other civilian infrastructure as emergency crews responded to multiple locations.
The attack came as people were sleeping, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy describing explosions that lit up the sky over the capital. Zelenskyy, who was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, said the strikes affected civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings and a maternity hospital, while Ukrainian officials continued to assess the damage caused by the overnight assault.
Russia Strikes Kyiv as Damage Spreads Across the Capital
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said one of those killed was in the parking lot of a maternity hospital when the attack occurred. The hospital sustained damage to part of its façade, windows and doors, while a nearby medical facility was also affected. Officials said no patients or medical workers at the maternity hospital were injured.
Police also reported damage to nine homes, a post office, warehouses and dozens of cars across Kyiv. Emergency crews moved to affected areas to deal with fires, falling debris and structural damage, while authorities searched locations where people could potentially have been trapped under rubble.
A residential building was among the structures affected, while debris also landed on private properties in different parts of the capital. The attacks forced residents to seek shelter as Ukrainian authorities worked to respond to the multiple explosions reported overnight.
The scale of the wider overnight assault was also significant. Ukraine’s air force said the barrage across the country involved 282 drones, alongside an unspecified number of hypersonic and ballistic missiles and other weapons. Reuters reported that Moscow has increased its use of faster drones in recent months, placing additional pressure on Ukraine’s air-defence systems.
Emergency Response Continues After Overnight Attack
Emergency services continued operations in Kyiv after the strikes, with officials inspecting damaged buildings and clearing affected areas. The latest attack also comes after another wave of Russian drone strikes on Kyiv on Wednesday, September 23, which damaged railway infrastructure, warehouses and fuel stations, according to Reuters.
The repeated attacks have increased concerns about the impact of Russia’s aerial campaign on Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure, particularly as Ukraine faces continuing pressure on its air-defence capabilities. Reuters recently reported that Russia has increasingly deployed jet-powered drones, which are faster than earlier versions and have created additional challenges for Ukrainian air defences.
The latest Russia strikes Kyiv attack occurred as Zelenskyy attended the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where the war remained a major international issue. Reuters reported that Zelenskyy was seeking continued international support for Ukraine’s air-defence needs while diplomatic discussions over the conflict continued.
The overnight strikes were not limited to Kyiv. In Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, a separate Russian attack on a farm killed six people and injured 12 others, according to local prosecutors. The incident brought the reported death toll from the latest Russian attacks across the two areas to eight.
The continuing attacks highlight the difficulty of ending the Russia-Ukraine war despite ongoing diplomatic activity. Kyiv and Moscow have continued to exchange long-range attacks, while Ukrainian officials have sought stronger air-defence support from international partners.
For residents in Kyiv, the latest assault again brought the effects of the war directly into the capital, with homes, vehicles and civilian facilities damaged and emergency workers responding through the early hours of Thursday.
The attack also placed further pressure on Kyiv’s emergency services, which had to respond to damage at several locations at the same time. Officials continued monitoring the situation as residents assessed damage to their properties, while authorities worked to clear debris and secure areas affected by the overnight strikes.
