Zelenskyy: Strike on Kyiv and region was one of the most cynical and large-scale attacks
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (Getty Images)
The overnight Russian strike damaged 30 residential buildings, a school, a hospital and a kindergarten. As of now, 15 people are known to have been killed in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X.
The head of state emphasized that emergency response efforts are ongoing. More than 600 rescuers from Ukraine’s State Emergency Service and police officers are involved in the operation in Kyiv, Brovary and Boryspil.
"In total, 30 residential buildings, an ordinary school, a children’s hospital, and a kindergarten were damaged in Kyiv and the region alone. Unfortunately, as of now, 15 people have been confirmed killed in Kyiv. My condolences to everyone who has lost family members and loved ones," the president said.
Zelenskyy stressed the need to provide assistance to those injured, as well as the importance of Ukraine's partners not remaining silent about the attacks and helping to strengthen the country's air defenses.
"This Russian strike was one of the most cynical, calculated, and large-scale. There were various types of missiles and 168 drones. Today, our warriors shot down all the Russian Kalibr missiles; overall, the interception rate for cruise missiles was 93%, and a significant percentage of the drones were also shot down," the head of state said.
He emphasized that ballistic missiles remain the biggest threat. According to Zelenskyy, countering this threat depends entirely on Ukraine's partners and the supply of missiles for Ukrainian Patriot air defense systems.
What is known about the overnight attack
As previously reported, on the night of August 20, Russia launched a massive combined attack on Kyiv and the Kyiv region. The air raid alert in the capital lasted nearly nine hours, with the main strike targeting the Kyiv region.
In Kyiv's Solomianskyi district, the upper floors of one building were destroyed and fires broke out. In addition, some districts of Kyiv were left without electricity. Around 50,000 households have already been reconnected using backup power schemes, but approximately 40,000 homes remain without electricity.
A strike was also recorded at an industrial facility in Brovary. In Boryspil district, private homes, warehouses, a gas station, an apartment building and vehicles were damaged.
In addition, due to infrastructure damage, Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) was forced to change routes and cancel some suburban and regional train services.
