Russia launched a drone attack on Kyiv early Wednesday, killing two people and injuring at least six others, according to Ukrainian authorities. The strike, which occurred on New Year’s Day, caused significant damage to buildings in two districts of the Ukrainian capital.
Explosions echoed through the city as Ukraine’s air force issued warnings of incoming drones. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that air defenses were actively countering the attack. The State Emergency Service reported that two floors of a residential building in central Kyiv were partially destroyed. Photos shared by the agency depicted firefighters extinguishing flames and rescuers assisting elderly residents from the debris.
The National Bank of Ukraine stated that one of its nearby buildings was damaged by debris from a downed drone. In another neighborhood, debris damaged a non-residential structure, local authorities said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Russia’s continued aggression, stating on social media, “Even on New Year’s Eve, Russia was only concerned about how to hurt Ukraine.”
Ukraine’s military reported that air defenses intercepted 63 out of 111 drones launched by Russia overnight, while electronic jamming neutralized an additional 46. The strikes spanned multiple regions, with extensive damage reported.
In a separate attack on Tuesday night, Russian forces fired 21 missiles at Kyiv and the northern Sumy region, damaging infrastructure in Shostka.
Further south, in the front-line city of Kherson, a 23-year-old volunteer worker was killed by Russian shelling on Wednesday. Later in the day, the regional governor, Oleksandr Prokudin, confirmed that another resident succumbed to injuries sustained during a drone strike northeast of Kherson.
The strikes highlight the ongoing toll of Russia’s nearly three-year-old invasion, as its forces continue a grinding campaign across eastern Ukraine.