What Kyiv’s Podilskyi district looks like after Russian attack: Exclusive report from scene
Photo: residential buildings were the most heavily damaged (RBC-Ukraine)
The morning of April 16 in Kyiv began with powerful explosions and rescue operations at sites of destruction. The occupying forces carried out a massive attack on the capital, and this time, one of the hardest-hit areas was the Podilskyi district.
RBC-Ukraine visited the scene and, in its report, shows the aftermath of yet another war crime committed by Russia.
One of the epicenters of destruction was a branch of the Ukrposhta post office.
The blast wave completely destroyed the panoramic glazing on the building’s first floor. Furniture was thrown through the shattered window frames.
Damage is also visible on the upper floors of the building’s façade near the Ukrposhta sign, where windows were blown out. Glass and debris from building materials cover the sidewalk and roadway.
Такий вигляд має потрощений російською атакою багатоквартирний будинок в Подільському районі столиці #Київ #ЕксклюзивРБКУкраїна #Kyiv #RBKExclusiveUkraine pic.twitter.com/hufZ5piAkR
— РБК-Україна (@rbc_ukraine) April 16, 2026
A Mitsubishi Outlander SUV is parked directly in front of the branch entrance. Its rear section is heavily damaged: the windows are shattered, and the body and trunk are deformed.
The blast wave was so powerful that the vehicle sustained significant damage simply from being nearby.
Shards of glass and other debris from the explosion lie scattered across the roadway.
The residential area appears to have been among the hardest hit. The photographs show damage to multi-story apartment buildings.
The building facades are riddled with shrapnel, and many apartments have blown-out windows and balcony frames. On some floors, the blast wave tore off entire balcony structures.
The ground is strewn with shattered glass, furniture, and other belongings that were blown out of the apartments. Part of the area has been cordoned off with safety tape.
The floors are covered with piles of glass, fragments of furniture, household appliances, and residents’ personal belongings. The blast wave overturned wardrobes and damaged appliances.
The Ambassador Plaza hotel building was also damaged in the Podil district. The photos show damage to the façade and blown-out windows on the upper floors.
Vehicles parked nearby were also damaged.
Rescue workers continue to operate at the scene, assisting residents and clearing debris.
A mobile aid headquarters has been set up near the residential buildings to provide assistance. Residents of the damaged buildings remain in shock.
The Russian attack on Kyiv and other peaceful Ukrainian cities lasted for a full day in several waves. In the Podil district, two people are known to have been killed — a child and a woman. In total, four people were killed in Kyiv, while the number of injured has risen to 60.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already responded to the latest act of Russian terror and appealed to international partners.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Air Force has explained what made today’s attack unusual.
