Deep-Strike Campaign Expands: Dual Russian Attack Sets the Heart of Kyiv Ablaze
Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, came under a combined Russian attack involving ballistic missiles and drones on Thursday.
Fires broke out in the heart of the Ukrainian capital, and at least five people were injured after Russia launched a coordinated assault using ballistic missiles and drones.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of a “massive” Russian strike, as Ukraine continued its long-range attacks deep inside Russian territory.
Since the beginning of its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has continued to launch missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, in what has become the deadliest conflict in Europe since the Second World War.
The attack came after the Ukrainian Air Force warned that ballistic missiles were approaching the capital, shortly after Zelensky cut short his visit to Dublin following intelligence reports indicating that Moscow was preparing an imminent large-scale strike against Ukraine.
Journalists from Agence France-Presse heard more than twelve explosions in central and eastern Kyiv, while residents—including children accompanied by their pets—rushed to metro stations being used as air raid shelters.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on Telegram that the capital was under attack by ballistic missiles and drones and that explosions could be heard throughout the city.
In a subsequent statement, he said that five healthcare workers had been injured in the Shevchenkivskyi district, one of whom was in critical condition.
The head of Kyiv’s Military Administration, Tymur Tkachenko, stated that the attacks had sparked fires, destroyed a residential building, and damaged a medical facility.
Earlier, an Agence France-Presse journalist witnessed thick clouds of smoke and large flames following one of the explosions, as firefighters and ambulances rushed to the scene.
Approximately fifty minutes after the first explosion, AFP journalists witnessed a second blast near the same location, with debris being thrown into the air.
Zelensky: Take Shelter
On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he would return to Ukraine immediately after receiving intelligence reports indicating that Russia was preparing a “massive attack.”
Speaking at a press conference, he said: “I urge our people to exercise the utmost caution, protect themselves, their children, and their families, and seek shelter.”
He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin “has been preparing this massive attack against Ukraine for a long time.”
Ukrainian Strikes Deep Inside Russia
Meanwhile, Ukraine has significantly intensified its long-range drone strikes inside Russian territory in recent weeks, targeting energy infrastructure and military facilities.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukrainian forces had struck Russia’s major Ufa oil refinery for the second time within a week, as well as a factory producing missile components in the Penza region.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense also announced that it had intercepted 179 Ukrainian drones over sixteen Russian regions, the Crimean Peninsula, and the waters of both the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.
Penza Region Governor Oleg Melnichenko said that Ukrainian drones had targeted two industrial facilities, injuring two people at one of the sites, shattering the windows of two residential buildings, and damaging a power line after drone debris fell onto the area.
For several months, Ukraine has continued targeting Russian oil infrastructure, including refineries, export terminals, storage facilities, and pipeline pumping stations. Western officials say Kyiv has developed new weapons in recent months that have significantly enhanced its ability to conduct long-range strikes.
Two Million Casualties
In a related development, a study published by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) estimated that the Russia-Ukraine war has resulted in more than two million military casualties on both sides.
According to the study, Russian forces have suffered approximately 1.4 million casualties, including those killed, wounded, or reported missing, with fatalities estimated at between 400,000 and 450,000.
The study estimates Ukrainian military losses at between 125,000 and 150,000 killed, in addition to between 525,000 and 625,000 wounded.
