Russia unleashed its largest aerial onslaught against Ukraine early Sunday, killing at least two people and striking the seat of government in Kyiv for the first time since the war began.
An AFP correspondent at the scene reported that the roof of Ukraine’s cabinet of ministers complex was engulfed in flames, with thick smoke rising above the capital as firefighters and helicopters worked to extinguish the blaze. Police quickly cordoned off the area as emergency teams rushed in.
Drone strikes also ripped through several high-rise residential buildings in Kyiv. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko confirmed the damage, writing on Telegram: “The roof and upper floors were damaged due to an enemy attack. Rescuers are extinguishing the fire. We will restore the buildings. But we cannot bring back lost lives. The enemy terrorises and kills our people every day throughout the country.”
According to the Ukrainian air force, Russia launched at least 805 drones and 13 missiles between late Saturday and early Sunday, marking the most extensive single attack of the three-and-a-half-year war.
Civilian Toll
Among the casualties were a mother and her two-month-old son, killed when a nine-story residential block in western Kyiv was struck. Prosecutors said more than a dozen people were injured in the same attack. Ukraine’s emergency services released images showing the charred and burning facade of the building.
The latest escalation came just days after France, Britain, and more than 20 other European countries pledged to provide “reassurance” forces to Ukraine. These units would patrol and enforce any future peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow.
Ukraine insists such security guarantees, backed by foreign troops, are essential to prevent Russia from launching another invasion in the future. But Moscow has flatly rejected the idea, with President Vladimir Putin warning that any Western forces on Ukrainian soil would be considered “legitimate” military targets.
Efforts led by US President Donald Trump to broker a peace deal in recent weeks have so far stalled. Meanwhile, Russia maintains its grip on about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory.
Since February 2022, the war has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions, and devastated large swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine, making it Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.
What You Should Know
Russia’s unprecedented aerial barrage signals a dangerous escalation in its war against Ukraine, striking the country’s government headquarters for the first time.
While Kyiv demands Western-backed security guarantees in any peace deal, Moscow’s rejection of foreign troops sets the stage for heightened tensions. The attack underscores both Ukraine’s vulnerability and the international struggle to end Europe’s deadliest war in decades.
