Flames, ruins, and cries from the rubble: Aftermath of Russia's massive strike on Ukraine
Photo: Kyiv has become one of the main targets of the Russian attack (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
On the night of April 24, Russian troops launched a massive combined attack on Ukraine using drones and various types of missiles. Kyiv, Kharkiv, Pavlohrad, and other regions were hit, causing destruction, casualties, and many injuries.
Read more about the consequences of Russia's strike on Ukraine in RBC-Ukraine's report below.
Takeaways
- What did the Russian occupiers attack Ukraine with?
- What Ukrainian regions did Russia attack?
- Which Ukrainian cities suffered the most destruction?
- What is the latest information on the death toll and injuries?
- How long did the air alert last in Kyiv, which is still recovering from the strikes?
In general, Russia's massive combined strike hit Kyiv and the Kyiv region, Kharkiv and the Kharkiv region, Zaporizhzhia, Pavlohrad, Zhytomyr, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, and Sumy regions.
Ukrainian rescuers extinguished about 40 fires in 9 regions of the country last night. Dozens of residential buildings, civilian and critical infrastructure facilities were damaged.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched a total of 70 missiles and 145 drones at Ukraine. The main target of the Russian attack was Kyiv.
Ukrainian air defense forces shot down:
- 7 out of 11 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles;
- 31 out of 37 Kh-101 cruise missiles (launched from Tu-95ms strategic bombers);
- 6 out of 6 Iskander-K cruise missiles;
- 6 out of 12 Kalibr cruise missiles;
- 4 out of 4 Kh-59/Kh-69 guided missiles;
- 64 out of 145 Shahed attack drones/imitator drones of various types (another 68 Russian imitator drones were lost locally).
Ukrainian aviation, anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare assets, and mobile fire groups were involved in repelling the Russian air attack. Aviation, in particular F-16 and Mirage pilots, also took an active part in repelling the Russian attack. The Ukrainian pilots have shot down dozens of Russian air targets.
Zelenskyy urgently returns to Ukraine from South Africa
The President of Ukraine has already reacted to the Russian night terror. He recalled that it had been 44 days since Ukraine agreed to a complete ceasefire and strikes. It was a proposal of the United States. And 44 days have passed since Russia continues to kill people and avoid tough pressure and responsibility for it.
The Ukrainian head of state instructed Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to immediately contact partners about Ukraine's requests to strengthen air defense. Zelenskyy also said that he was shortening his visit to South Africa because of Russia's large-scale attack.
"I am canceling part of the program for this visit and will return to Ukraine immediately after the meeting with the President of South Africa," Zelenskyy wrote on social media and promised to inform South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who currently holds the presidency of the G20, about the situation in Ukraine.
The President of Ukraine said that Russia's strike had left over 80 people wounded across Ukraine.
Kyiv
Kyiv suffered the most from the Russian terrorist attack. According to the head of the Kyiv City State Administration, Tymur Tkachenko, Russia launched Kalibr and ballistic missiles, Shahed drones at Kyiv. There were 45 drones in Kyiv and the region alone. The air alert in the capital lasted about 6 hours.
The most tragic night was in the Sviatoshynskyi district of Kyiv. The Russians destroyed a multi-story building with a strike (some of the structures collapsed). People were trapped under the rubble. Since nightfall, the rubble has been dismantled at the site of the destruction.
"We can hear phone calls from under the rubble - the search will continue until they are sure they have found everyone. There is information about 2 children who still cannot be found at the scene," Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said in the morning.
According to him, the police are also going around the apartments in the nearest buildings, checking the condition of the people.
An RBC-Ukraine correspondent visited the Sviatoshinskyi district. The footage below shows the scale of the destruction.
In general, along with Sviatoshynskyi, there are also consequences in Podilskyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts. There, the debris caused fires in non-residential buildings, and in the Holosiivskyi district, a garage cooperative and several cars burned down, and the debris fell on non-residential buildings. In the Obolonskyi district, the roof of a non-residential building, dry grass, cars, and a warehouse were on fire. In the Solomianskyi, a drone crashed in an open area.
There were six fires as a result of the Russian strikes. Residential buildings, administrative buildings, and garages were on fire. Cars and dry grass were burning due to falling debris.
According to the latest reports, the night attack in Kyiv left 8 killed and 77 injured. Among the victims are children and a pregnant woman.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko clarified that the 9 victims, as previously reported, were the remains of bodies that were also sent for examination. The minister added that there may be 10 more people under the rubble. Also, 2 children from the same family could have died at once, which is also preliminary.
The minister said that experts have recovered the remains of the missile that landed in the Sviatoshynskyi district and will conduct an examination to find out the details.
In the Kyiv region, 2 women were injured in the Bucha district. Both suffered acute stress reactions. Three five-story buildings were also damaged. A fire was extinguished on one of their roof.
In addition, 4 shops, 8 cars, and a public transportation stop were also damaged in the Kyiv region. In particular, a warehouse and 3 cars were damaged in the Vyshgorod district. Fires in the woods and an open area have been extinguished.
A fire in a field in the Brovary district has also been extinguished. Operational services continue to record and eliminate the consequences of the Russian attack.
Kharkiv
Kharkiv was shaken last night by massive Russian strikes. According to Mayor Ihor Terekhov, the Russian army struck the city 24 times with missiles and drones (10 missiles and 14 drones).
Damage was done to multi-storey residential buildings, a city clinic, a school building, private yards, industrial enterprises, and a hotel complex. One person was hospitalized.
The head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleh Syniehubov, reported a total of 2 victims in the regional center, who suffered an acute stress reaction.
He also said that a missile, presumably a Kh-59, hit a forest belt, and dry grass was burning. The windows of two multi-storey buildings were damaged. The fence was also partially damaged.
Near Kharkiv, in the village of Bezliudivka, reeds were burning as a result of a rocket hitting the marsh. Also, windows in a house and an outbuilding were smashed, a shed was destroyed, a fence was damaged, and the roof of a private house was damaged, the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration added.
Pavlohrad
Overnight, the Russian army massively attacked the Dnipropetrovsk region with missiles and drones, said the head of the region, Serhii Lysak.
Pavlohrad was under heavy Russian attack. An industrial enterprise was attacked there. Residential buildings were also damaged in the city. The blast wave hit 14 high-rise buildings. Most of them had damaged windows and balconies.
The infrastructure was also damaged. Preliminary, there are no killed or injured, adds Lysak.
In addition, Russia targeted the Nikopol district with drones and artillery. The Nikopol and Marhanets communities were affected. There were no casualties.
Zaporizhzhia
In Zaporizhzhia, 2 high-rise buildings in one of the city's districts were damaged as a result of a Russian attack.
Experts are currently conducting an inspection. Ivan Federov, head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, showed a photo of the aftermath.
Zhytomyr region
During the night, the Zhytomyr region suffered several Russian combined attacks from the air. The Russian strikes damaged private garages and caused a fire. The blast wave also smashed windows in several apartment buildings.
A 39-year-old rescuer who arrived to extinguish the fire was wounded as a result of the repeated Russian strikes. Four units of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine's equipment were damaged. The fire was extinguished on a total area of 2,500 square meters.
Currently, the region is continuing to eliminate the consequences, providing the necessary assistance to owners of damaged housing, and a commission is working to quickly process applications for funds for reconstruction, said Vitalii Bunechko, head of the Regional Military Administration.
Khmelnytskyi region
In the Khmelnytskyi region, 2 people were injured as a result of a Russian attack.
"One man sustained a light leg injury and was taken to the hospital. A minor also suffered a glass cut to her leg. Her condition is satisfactory; she did not need hospitalization," said Serhii Tiurin, head of the Khmelnytsky Regional Military Administration.
Russian attack resulted in a fire, which was extinguished by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine units. A gas distribution point was damaged (without interrupting gas supply), the roofs of 2 residential buildings, windows, and doors in five apartments of the apartment building. There is also damage to the summer playground of the park.
All relevant services are working to overcome the consequences.
Sumy region
In the Sumy region, one of the settlements of the Nedrihailivska community came under Russian drone attack in the morning.
According to preliminary data, 2 civilians were injured as a result of the Russian attack. Administrative and non-residential buildings were also damaged, according to the Sumy Regional Military Administration.
Cherkasy region
Ihor Taburets, head of the Cherkasy Regional Military Administration, reported on the consequences of the Russian attack in his region. He noted that the air raid alert in the Cherkasy region was sounded from late evening until morning.
"Russia attacked Ukraine with attack drones and missiles. Within the region, Ukrainian air defense forces and means destroyed 5 Russian drones," he wrote.
According to him, there were no casualties. There have been no reports of property damage. The survey of the area is ongoing.
Poltava region
Last night in the Poltava region, Ukrainian air defense forces and means repelled a Russian missile attack. Thus, in the Myrhorod district, an outbuilding and a car were damaged as a result of the fall of Russian rocket fragments. There were no casualties.
Railway infrastructure was also hit during Russian night attack
According to Ukrainian Railways, 2 railroad workers were wounded: a conductor in Zhytomyr and a driver in Kyiv. The condition of both workers is satisfactory, and they are being examined by doctors.
Also, in Kyiv and the Kharkiv region, the Russian attack damaged the technical track and the administrative and technical buildings of the railroad. Trains continue to run as scheduled.
Photo: Russian occupants damaged railroad tracks during a night attack (t.me/UkrzalInfo)
Russia's massive attack on Ukraine came after US President Donald Trump said that a peace deal had been reached with Russia, and we are very close to a deal. He criticized President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and accused him of dragging out the war because the Ukrainian leader refused to recognize Crimea as Russian. According to Trump, this is extremely harmful to peace talks with Russia.
In turn, Zelenskyy reacted to the US President's criticism and reposted a statement by former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who held the post during Trump's first term. In that statement, the former Secretary of State said that the United States rejected Russia's attempt to annex Crimea and pledged to maintain this policy until Ukraine's territorial integrity is restored.
Negotiations on the settlement of the war continue. And so far, Trump believes that the Kremlin is ready for peace and that it is necessary to end the war on the current front line, effectively giving the Ukrainian land under Russian control. Meanwhile, Russia is attacking Ukrainian civilians with various types of weapons. Ukraine's position is as follows: a complete, unconditional ceasefire is needed, and then the rest of the issues will follow.
In an article by RBC-Ukraine, read Peace on US terms? What’s behind the 'fair proposal' for Ukraine and Russia.
Sources: Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Kyiv City Military Administration, Ukrainian Railways, and statements of the heads of regional administrations and mayors.
