Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine's capital overnight into Thursday that killed at least 13 people and injured scores as loud explosions shook Kyiv for hours.

The attack with ballistic and cruise missiles and drones damaged buildings and civilian infrastructure across the city.

Many residents took shelter at metro stations after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other authorities issued the first warnings of the attack.

The attack killed 13 people in Kyiv and injured 86 more, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

Damage was recorded in 30 locations across the city, mainly residential buildings and civilian infrastructure, said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said 20 residential buildings were damaged across the city.

The Emergency Service says it deployed nearly 500 personnel and 100 units of specialised vehicles, including a helicopter, to deal with the aftermath of the attack.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on Ukraine’s allies to strengthen the country’s air defences following what he described as a “night of horror” in Kyiv, urging partners not to delay decisions on supplying air defence systems and missiles.

Writing on X, Sybiha said the death toll after the attack may rise as the rescue teams continued their work.

Russia has intensified its attacks on Kyiv in recent weeks, even as Ukraine’s own long-range drone campaign against Russian military sites and energy facilities has caused fuel shortages and disrupted supply lines inside Russia.

Sybiha rejected any attempts to justify Russian strikes as retaliation for Ukraine’s long-range attacks, saying Ukraine was exercising its right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter while Russia remained the aggressor.

In the Desnianskyi district, people were trapped inside a damaged nine-storey residential building and rescuers headed to the scene, Klitschko said.

In the Holosiivskyi district, a fire broke out on the roof of a 16-story building, according to the Emergency Service.

In the Sviatoshynskyi district, fire broke out in two private residencies, the Emergency Service said. Debris trapped people in one of them, according to the mayor.

The attack came hours after Zelenskyy cut short a visit to Dublin, citing intelligence reports of an impending Russian strike.

Zelenskyy on Wednesday had urged citizens to take extra care ahead of the imminent attack.

"I urge our people to be especially careful, to protect themselves, their children, and, of course, their families; to use shelters and heed air raid alerts in Ukraine – this is very important," he told a news conference.

He said Russian President Vladimir Putin "has been preparing this massive strike against Ukraine for some time now".

Ukraine has also stepped up long-range drone attacks inside Russia in recent weeks, targeting energy infrastructure and military targets. (AP/AFP)



Edited by Edmond Fong