Key Points and Summary – An Al Jazeera journalist provides a harrowing, first-person account of Russia’s latest massive air assault on Kyiv, where 397 drones and 18 missiles rained down on the capital.
-The “bone-rattling” attack killed two civilians and wounded 25, shattering any sense of normalcy.
-The journalist describes the terror of being jolted awake by explosions and taking shelter as “giant enraged hornets” buzzed overhead.
-The attack highlights the escalating drone war and President Zelenskyy’s urgent pleas for more advanced air defenses as Russia’s nightly bombardments intensify, with threats of 1,000-drone swarms on the horizon.
Kyiv Again Rocked by Nighttime Air Strikes: Writer’s Air Raid Experience
Al Jazeera journalist Alasdair Brenard offers a rare and haunting dispatch from the Ukrainian capital as it endures another wave of Russian aerial bombardment. Staying in a hotel during a reporting trip, he describes the moment he was jolted awake—not by an alarm, but by the pressure wave of a nearby explosion.
He had missed the air raid siren. It was already too late.
The account by the reporter for the Qatari-state-owned broadcaster reads like something between a war diary and a surreal dream. A second blast made returning to sleep impossible. Checking he had his passport, wallet, keys, he ran to use the hotel bathroom as a shelter.
In the event of a strike, the bathroom tiles could easily become deadly shrapnel.
‘Bone-rattling’ Explosions in Kyiv
Outside, the buzz of drones passed low over buildings like “giant enraged hornets,” followed by bursts of anti-aircraft fire and the bone-rattling punch of explosions. Some were intercepted. Others hit their mark.
It’s a night Kyiv has lived through countless times in recent months. But it never gets easier.
That night, Ukrainian officials say 397 drones and 18 missiles were launched at the city.
It’s a number that borders on the absurd, until you see the damage.
Two Die in Russian Assault
Twenty-five were wounded. Two people died. One was Leubov, 65, recovering from spinal surgery and unable to evacuate. 22-year-old Maria was also hit. She returned to her apartment minutes prior to a strike, after initially fleeing.
Brenard’s voice is not that of a detached observer. “There is fear,” he admits. “A nagging doubt that there is danger in the sky, and death is lurking.” He is painfully aware of the privilege he holds: in a week, he can go home. Kyiv’s citizens cannot.
Meanwhile in Rome, President Zelenskyy warned that Russia may soon escalate to deploying 1,000 drones in a single night.
His solution: interceptor drones. What seemed more like science fiction just a few years ago, is now the frontline of defence in a very real war.
Brenard detailed how his night ended with an “all-clear” siren just before dawn. But sleep does not always come easily when the sound of war still rings in your ears.
For Ukraine, every night is a question: will the next one be survivable?
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.
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