Russia on Sunday subjected the region of kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, to one of the most intense bombardments since the start of the war launched more than four years ago by Moscow, notably using a medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile of the Orechnik type, with nuclear capability. The Russian fire, which lasted several hours during the night, left four dead and more than 80 injured, the Ukrainian authorities stressed, adding that dozens of residential buildings as well as several schools were damaged.
“It was a terrible night for kyiv,” said the capital’s mayor Vitali Klitschko in a Telegram message sent from the scene of one of the attacks. “At this very moment, rescuers are putting out fires and clearing debris. Medical personnel are providing assistance to the victims,” he said, noting that two people were killed in Kiev and 69 others injured during the attacks on the capital.
Many residents found shelter overnight in the city’s metro stations. Nataliia Zvarych, 62, said she rushed to her local metro station when the explosions began to rock the city. “It was terrifying, scary,” she added. “We’ve been sitting here for over three hours now, listening to the explosions up there.”
Two more people were killed and nine others injured in attacks in the kyiv region, regional governor Mykola Kalashnyk said. And eleven people were injured in the central Ukrainian town of Cherkasy after a drone crashed into an apartment building, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said
Condemnation of European leaders
Russia launched 600 drones and 90 missiles on the kyiv region, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, including Orechnik, missiles designed to be able to carry conventional or nuclear charges, and touted by Russian President Vladimir Putin as being impossible to intercept due to their speed, which would be more ten times greater than that of sound.
Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that Russia was preparing a strike against Ukraine using an Orechnik hypersonic ballistic missile. Russia on Friday accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting a boarding school in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine, leading then-Russian President Vladimir Putin to order preparations for reprisals. The Ukrainian army has denied any responsibility for this attack, which left 18 dead according to the latest report, including many young girls.
“It is important that this does not remain without consequences for Russia,” Volodymyr Zelensky said on the Telegram messaging application. “Decisions are needed – from the United States, Europe and others.”
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the head of European Union diplomacy Kaja Kallas all condemned the Russian attack and in particular the use of Orechnik missiles. “France condemns this attack and the use of the Orechnik ballistic missile, which above all signify a form of headlong flight and the impasse of Russia’s war of aggression. Our determination to continue to support Ukraine (…) is only strengthened”, declared Emmanuel Macron on X. Kaja Kallas assured that the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the European Union will discuss this week how to increase pressure on Moscow.
Before this Sunday, Russia had already attacked Ukraine twice with the Oreshnik. Moscow first fired against a military factory in Ukraine in November 2024. On that occasion, Ukrainian sources said the missile carried dummy warheads, not explosives, thus causing limited damage. The second attack took place in January 2026, and the missile then struck the Lviv region, in the west of the country.
