Russian troops launched a huge overnight drone and missile strike on Kyiv on Friday, hitting residential districts and causing widespread fires throughout the capital of Ukraine. Ukrainian officials said the attack, among the most intense in weeks, lasted for over six hours and damaged several neighborhoods on both sides of the Dnipro River.
Tymur Tkachenko, the chief of Kyiv’s military administration, reported Russian drone attacks on 13 sites in five districts. “Most of the targets were houses,” Tkachenko stated, according to a Reuters report.
Fires Rage Throughout Kyiv City, Casualties Reported
Witnesses heard sounds of repeated explosions and anti-aircraft fire as Ukrainian defense systems frantically tried to shoot down incoming drones. There were fires in many areas of Kyiv, with officials still attempting to assess casualties.
Tkachenko reported that fires erupted in the Svyatoshynskyi district of western Kyiv, where there were “likely” injuries. Drone-related fires were also seen on the roofs and courtyards of residential houses in the adjacent Solomianskyi district.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and Tkachenko previously reported a roof fire at a 16-storey apartment complex in a northern suburb.
Video Claims Airport Blaze, Authenticity Unverified
A viral, unconfirmed video on social media seemed to capture a massive fire with heavy black smoke billowing into the evening sky. The fire was allegedly at Kyiv International Airport (Zhuliany), caused by the missile attack. The video has not been independently confirmed.
The mass Russian attack came hours after US President Donald Trump telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump and Putin held their sixth call since his return to the White House in January, discussing the Ukraine war and Iran tensions.
“We had a call, and it was a very long call. We discussed a lot of things, including Iran. We also discussed, as you know, the war with Ukraine, and I’m not happy about that,” Trump told Bloomberg.
When prompted to discuss the outcome of the call, Trump acknowledged, “No, I didn’t make any progress.
Trump again pressed for a quick termination of the war, as reported by Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov. Putin stuck to his stance that Russia “will not retreat” from its goals. Ushakov characterized the conversation as “frank, businesslike and specific,” adding that the two leaders both agreed to further discussions.
Trump to Talk to Zelensky Next
Bloomberg reported that Trump will speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday. While Trump has repeatedly pledged to quickly end the war using his relationship with Putin, progress remains elusive.
Last month, Trump said both sides might still have to “fight for a little while” before peace negotiations become viable.
Though the Trump administration has slowed the rate of US arms shipments to Ukraine, it has not levied new sanctions against Russia, despite growing pressure from Kyiv and some European leaders.