Kyiv under missile and drone attack as residential buildings take direct hits
First details of the massive attack (Photo: facebook.com_DSNSKHARKIV)
On the night of May 24, Russia struck Kyiv with ballistic missiles and attack drones. Debris fell in several districts; there are wounded.
RBC-Ukraine reports everything known so far about the massive strike.
Key takeaways
- Ballistic missiles and Shahed drones attacked Kyiv on the night of May 24
- Debris fell in the Podilskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, and other districts
- Drones hit a 9-story and a 16-story residential building
- A supermarket, a shopping centre, a dormitory, and a school were damaged
Consequences of the strike in many districts of the capital
In the Podilskyi district, debris fell on non-residential buildings — a structure caught fire there.
In the Shevchenkivskyi district, a fire broke out near a residential building; windows were damaged. Rescuers extinguished a fire on a gas pipe between buildings.
Head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, Timur Tkachenko, confirmed at least four locations with consequences of the attack — Shevchenkivskyi, Dniprovskyi, Podilskyi, and Solomianskyi districts.
RBC-Ukraine correspondents report that very loud explosions were heard in Kyiv this night. The city is shrouded in smoke from several locations.
Direct hits on residential buildings — details by district
As of 3:00 a.m. Kyiv time, the following consequences are known:
- Shevchenkivskyi district – a drone hit a 9‑story building at the level of the 3rd‑4th floors.
- Obolonskyi district – a strike on a non‑residential building next to a three‑story building; then a drone hit a 16‑story building at the level of the 12th‑13th floors, causing a fire; separately, a one‑story private house is on fire.
- Desnyanskyi district – a drone hit a shopping centre building, then a supermarket.
- Dniprovskyi district – a drone hit a private residential house; a garage cooperative is on fire, and a warehouse building is damaged.
- Darnytskyi district – a dormitory and a warehouse facility were damaged.
The attack is ongoing; Ukrainians are urged not to leave shelters. Missiles are moving toward Kyiv, the Air Force reports.
As of now, five injuries are known. One has been hospitalised; others received assistance on the spot.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that in the Pecherskyi district, a 20‑story residential building was hit at the level of the 13th floor.
"More missiles are entering the city. Stay in shelters!" he wrote at 3:50 a.m. Kyiv time.
Klitschko reported that a strike occurred near one of the schools in the capital. People were sheltering there. The entrance to the shelter was blocked. Emergency services are heading to the scene.
Later, the mayor reported a strike on another school. A fire broke out on the second floor there.
The number of injured in Kyiv has risen to nine.
On the eve of the attack, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that, according to US and European partners, Russia was preparing to strike the country with the Oreshnik ballistic missile. He called on Ukrainians to heed the alerts and use shelters.
Meanwhile, a week ago, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin personally mentioned the Oreshnik during a meeting with military officials and stated the possibility of equipping it with nuclear warheads.
He ordered the strike in alleged retaliation for the shelling of a college dormitory in Starobilsk — the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed a strike, but not on the college.
