The death toll from Russia's largest coordinated drone and missile assault on Ukraine in recent years has risen to 24, Ukrainian emergency services confirmed on Friday. The barrage, which began as a rare daytime attack on Wednesday and extended into Thursday, primarily targeted the capital Kyiv, though southern regions such as Odesa and Kherson, as well as the eastern city of Kharkiv, also came under fire.
Ukrainian air force officials reported that Russia launched 675 attack drones and 56 missiles, with the vast majority aimed at the capital. Air defence units managed to intercept 652 drones and 41 missiles, but the remaining projectiles struck residential buildings and civilian infrastructure.
In Kyiv's Darnytsia neighbourhood, a nine-storey residential block collapsed after being hit, destroying all 18 apartments. Emergency workers spent hours searching under concrete slabs for survivors. Head of the Kyiv City Military Administration Tymur Tkachenko confirmed nine fatalities in the capital, including a 12-year-old girl, with approximately 20 people still missing.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko declared Friday a day of mourning, ordering flags flown at half-mast and banning entertainment events across the city.
EU Leaders Condemn Escalation
The attack drew swift condemnation from European Union leaders, who framed it as evidence of Moscow's unwillingness to pursue diplomatic solutions. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X: "Another night of death and destruction. And the indiscriminate targeting of civilians." She added that the EU is finalising a €6 billion drone support package for Ukraine, stating: "While Russia openly mocks diplomatic efforts, we continue to strengthen Ukraine."
French President Emmanuel Macron described the assault as laying bare "all the hypocrisy with which it negotiated the fragile truce of the past few days." He argued that "by bombing civilians, Russia demonstrates less its strength than its weakness: it is running out of solutions on the military front and does not know how to end its war of aggression."
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz echoed the sentiment, writing on X: "Russia's heaviest attacks on Ukraine in a long time send a clear message: Moscow is choosing escalation over negotiation."
The attack comes amid a broader pattern of intensified Russian strikes on Ukrainian urban centres. Earlier this week, a Russian drone barrage hit a residential area in Kharkiv, underscoring the sustained threat to civilian life.
Ukraine Strikes Back at Ryazan
In a retaliatory move, Ukraine's military launched a large-scale overnight attack on Friday targeting military and energy infrastructure in several parts of Russia. Local media reported explosions and plumes of smoke over the city of Ryazan, southeast of Moscow, where residents reported drones flying overhead. Russian officials confirmed three deaths and at least 12 wounded from the Ukrainian strike.
The exchange of fire highlights the ongoing volatility along the front lines, even as diplomatic efforts to de-escalate remain stalled. The Kremlin's recent legislative moves, including a law authorising military intervention abroad, signal a continued commitment to the conflict.
For European capitals, the attack reinforces the urgency of bolstering Ukraine's air defence capabilities. The EU's proposed drone package, still under finalisation, is part of a broader effort to help Kyiv counter Russia's aerial superiority. Meanwhile, the human toll continues to mount: the death of a 12-year-old girl in Kyiv is a stark reminder of the war's indiscriminate nature.
As flags fly at half-mast in the Ukrainian capital, the continent watches a conflict that shows no signs of abating, with both sides locked in a cycle of escalation that leaves civilians bearing the heaviest cost.
