Russia launched one of its heaviest attacks on Kyiv in months on Thursday, killing at least 17 people as waves of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones struck the Ukrainian capital.
Ukraine’s neighbors were also affected, with drones entering Romanian and Moldovan territory and Romania scrambling fighter jets against an explosives-laden unmanned vessel close to a major Black Sea gas project.
Lancet Drone. Image Credit: Russian State Media.
Lancet Drone from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Dozens Wounded in Ukrainian Capital
At least 17 people had been killed in Kyiv by Thursday afternoon, and dozens more had been wounded.
Homes, warehouses, a school, a preschool, and a children’s hospital were among the buildings damaged. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said windows were blown out at the children’s medical facility in the city’s Solomianskyi district.
The attack began around midnight and continued into Thursday, with additional air-raid alarms sounding throughout the day.
Explosions were heard in central Kyiv within minutes of the first warning, and another wave followed after 6 a.m.
Russia Sends 168 Drones Overnight
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 168 drones along with dozens of missiles. Ukrainian defenses shot down 145 drones and 41 of 46 cruise missiles, but failed to intercept an unspecified number of high-speed ballistic missiles.
Ukraine said Moscow used Kinzhal and Zircon hypersonic missiles, Iskander ballistic missiles, North Korean KN-23 ballistic missiles, sea-launched Kalibr cruise missiles, and Shahed drones. These long-range weapons are far harder and more expensive to shoot down.
Russia’s Defense Ministry acknowledged carrying out what it called a “massive strike,” but said the targets included military facilities, warehouses and a transport and logistics center.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Telegram message on Thursday: “It was a massive strike — the Russians spent a long time preparing and combined different types of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones to inflict maximum damage on civilian infrastructure. There is destruction in Kyiv and the surrounding region, in Odesa region and in Chernihiv region.”
Ukraine’s Interceptor Shortage
Ukraine is also facing a major lack of long-range interceptors.
Neighboring Poland has now declassified its military aid to Ukraine, revealing that it has transferred five Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Kyiv. Warsaw is also reportedly in talks to send Ukraine more missiles, although the U.S. could offer Ukraine significantly more.
Zelenskyy told CNN last week that Ukraine had only around 10% of the interceptors it urgently required from the United States and other partners.
“This year we have two and a half times fewer interceptors than we had in 2025,” Zelenskyy said. At the same time, he said Russia was launching twice as many ballistic missiles each month as previously.
Destroying slower-moving drones and cruise missiles is easier than downing the much faster ballistic missiles. Patriots are among its principal defenses against those faster missiles, which can reach Kyiv within minutes of an alert.
“As long as Ukraine does not have enough anti-ballistic defense, Russia will not consider peace seriously,” Zelenskyy said Thursday.
Romania Scrambles Jets Amid Drone Threat
Romania said a drone entered its airspace near Galați before crashing in an uninhabited area of Tulcea County. NATO aircraft were scrambled during the overnight attack.
Hours later, Romanian forces destroyed a separate explosives-laden marine drone close to the Neptun Deep offshore gas project in the Black Sea. Romanian Defense Minister Radu Miruță said F-16s were deployed and the device was destroyed with assistance from a vessel. Reuters said that the drone was only a few hundred meters from the project.
Romania did not formally identify the device’s origin, although Ukraine said it was not Ukrainian, and Romanian President Nicușor Dan blamed Russia for increasingly dangerous actions.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu also said a drone had fallen on Moldovan territory after violating the country’s airspace. Poland, meanwhile, activated military aircraft and air defenses as a precaution during the Russian barrage.
Putin Has ‘No Plans’ To Stop War
Zelenskyy’s recent CNN sit-down did not offer viewers any specifics regarding the future, but said he was behind, “more involvement of the American side to the peace plan,” adding: “I’m thankful to the team of President Trump that they want to continue. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin doesn’t want to stop this war now and (there’s) not enough pressure on him now,” he explained.
In the same interview, Zelenskyy once again dismissed any prospect of Ukraine conceding fortified territory in the Donbas that Russia has failed to seize but has repeatedly demanded be handed over.
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.
