Russian missile strikes devastate residential neighborhood, killing at least 30 and injuring over 100 as Ukraine pleads for stronger international support.
A night of devastation gripped Ukraine’s capital as a cruise missile slammed into a residential block in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district, killing at least 30 people and injuring over 100. Among the dead were 23 residents found in the rubble of a single apartment building, as emergency workers continued searching through debris well into Wednesday.
Evhen Povarenkov, a 43-year-old warehouse worker, stood silently at the police tape that blocked access to what remained of his home. The windows were gone, the balcony barely hanging on. He and his elderly mother had been sleeping when the missile struck. “There was heat, fire, and smoke,” he said, recalling the moment of impact just meters from their wall. “I lost consciousness. When I came to, I heard my mother screaming.”
Neighbors helped him break down his door to escape. His mother, seriously injured with broken collarbones, facial cuts, and internal organ damage, was rushed into surgery. They were among dozens of families torn apart during the nine-hour assault on the capital.
Residents described scenes of chaos and horror. “People were screaming, children were crying,” said Arcadiy Volenchuk, 60. “Everything was on fire,” added 69-year-old teacher Alla, describing the exploding fuel tanks and collapsing structures.
Nearby hospitals were overwhelmed. Dr. Serhii Dubrov of the 12th Kyiv City Clinical Hospital said his facility treated 27 patients, many with lacerations from shattered glass, traumatic brain injuries, and even a severed femoral artery. “The worst was a woman with an open head injury,” he said, noting that patients ranged in age from 18 to 95.
The missile that tore through Povarenkov’s building was one of 32 launched by Russia, along with over 440 drones, according to Ukraine’s air force. The assault—one of the most severe on Kyiv since the invasion began—coincided with President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the G7 summit in Canada.
Some Ukrainian officials believe the timing of the attack was a calculated move by Russia. As the missiles rained down, former U.S. President Donald Trump left the summit early, cancelling a much-anticipated meeting with Zelensky. A scheduled European leaders’ meeting on Ukraine failed to yield a joint statement of support.
Back in Kyiv, residents gathered to mourn. Many, like Povarenkov, were unable to return to their homes. He watched in silence as emergency crews discovered more bodies among the ruins—uncertain how many more lay beneath.