Deadly Russian attack on Kyiv leaves 10 killed, nearly 50 injured

At least 10 people have been killed and 48 wounded in a mass Russian drone and missile strike on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv. Two children were among the dead, local authorities said on Thursday citing preliminary information. The number of casualties is expected to rise.  

This is the first major combined attack on the city in weeks as US-led peace efforts to end the three-year war have struggled to make progress.  

Russia launched decoy drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, Ukrainian officials said. At least 20 locations across seven districts of Kyiv were hit and nearly 100 buildings were damaged, including a shopping mall in the city center.  

“Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X following the attack. “We expect a response from everyone in the world who has called for peace but now more often stays silent rather than taking principled positions.” 

Western leaders have accused Russia’s President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet in peace efforts while Russian troops move deeper into Ukraine. This week, Ukrainian military leaders conceded Russian forces have broken into an eighth region of Ukraine seeking to capture more ground. 

Zelenskyy is hoping for harsher US sanctions to cripple the Russian economy if Putin continues to evade negotiations to end the war. He reiterated those demands following Thursday's attack. 

“All deadlines have already been broken, dozens of opportunities for diplomacy ruined,” Zelenskyy said. 

US President Donald Trump said last week that he expects to decide on next steps soon if direct talks aren’t scheduled.