Ukraine’s air defenses shot down or destroyed two ballistic missiles and 255 drones during a large-scale attack by Russia on Tuesday night, damaging key infrastructure including the Southern Bridge in Kyiv, university buildings, and residential buildings.
At least one person was killed and 15 injured during the attacks on Kyiv, which began on Monday evening and continued into the early hours of Tuesday. Two people also died in Kharkiv as a result of the attack.
Ukraine Switchblade Drone. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Switchblade Drone. Image Credit: Industry Handout.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia launched 16 ballistic missiles and over 280 drones across the country.
Ukraine Shoots 255 Drones and Two Ballistic Missiles Down
Ukraine’s Air Force acknowledged in a statement on Tuesday morning that the main target of the attack was Kyiv.
Russia fired 280 drones, some attack drones named Shahed, Gerbera planes, and decoy planes known as Parodiya. Of these, 69 were jet-powered Shahed drones.
Ukraine said it had shot down 255 drones, including 56 jet-powered versions and two Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles by 9 a.m.
The force struck 25 sites, and debris hit another 16.
Fighter planes, anti-aircraft missile systems, electronic warfare systems and mobile defense units shot down the drones, the force said.
Some Russian drones were still in the sky. Zelenskyy also confirmed that 16 ballistic missiles were fired. Russia attacked 11 regions of Ukraine.
“Almost everywhere, Russia’s targets are energy facilities, logistics and ordinary urban infrastructure,” he said.
University students were among those injured in the missile attacks.
Missiles also hit the State University of Trade and Economics near Kyoto Park, as well as dormitories and residential areas.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said there were 14 casualties, “most of whom were students from a university dormitory.”
Two medical facilities were damaged, with windows reported as being smashed in hospital departments, including intensive care.
Two emergency medical personnel were injured.
Later, the Kyiv City Military Administration confirmed that 15 people were injured, including 12 who were admitted to hospital.
Reuters reported that three patients were initially in critical condition.
Key Kyiv Bridge Damaged by Russian Missile
The Southern Bridge, which carries road traffic and the Green Line metro, was also damaged in the Russian barrage.
Klitschko said the city’s metro infrastructure was also damaged, and that an attack hit an administrative building in the Podilskyi district.
Road traffic was halted, but the metro was running in separate parts on either side of the river. Experts are currently analyzing the extent of the damage to the southern bridge.
Public transportation services were heavily disrupted, and replacement bus services were put in place.
“This is a serious escalation in Russia’s operation against our logistics,” Zelenskyy said, quoted by UATV.
Zelenskyy Slams Slow US Air Defense Supplies
Zelenskyy used the latest attacks to criticize the slow delivery of U.S. weapons again.
This week, he said Ukraine had been waiting almost a month for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to approve missiles for the Patriot and NASAMS air-defense systems.
“Every such delay means another Russian strike hitting one facility or another. Unfortunately, strikes occur every day,” Zelenskyy said on Tuesday.
He has previously argued that Ukraine needs the right equipment to destroy Russia’s ballistic missile launchers to protect civilians.
The attacks come as a narrow ceasefire was put in place around the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky to allow humanitarian aid and evacuations — a deal that First Lady Melania Trump negotiated.
Kyiv is abiding by the deal, Ukraine’s human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets confirmed.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there have been “no reports of any violations,” according to the Associated Press.
However, Kherson city administrator Yaroslav Shanko was not convinced.
“It’s too early to say. Let’s wait and see, because you can’t trust the enemy, especially the Russians,” he said.
The localized ceasefire does not apply to Kyiv. Russia launched missile and drone attacks on the city despite plans to hold fresh peace talks brokered by the U.S. in November.
Russia Accused of War Crimes By UN Probe
Russia is also facing pressure for the tactics it is deploying in the conflict.
Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector have amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity, a United Nations probe published on Tuesday found.
The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine found that Russia had launched a deliberate attack on Ukraine’s civilian energy infrastructure, leaving millions of people to freeze, in what amounts to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The findings are based on an investigation, not a legal ruling. Russia does not recognize the commission’s authority.
About the Author: Georgia Gilholy
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
