Russian air strikes on Kyiv and surrounding areas killed at least 12 people and wounded numerous others in the early hours of Tuesday, marking the sixth consecutive day of intense attacks on Ukraine’s capital region. Ukrainian officials reported that among those killed was an Indian citizen. The attacks come as millions of Ukrainian children returned to school for the new academic year.
The overnight offensive involved a combination of cruise and ballistic missiles, jet-powered drones, glide bombs, and artillery strikes targeting Kyiv and eight other regions. Ukrainian authorities said the Russian military focused on residential areas, railway infrastructure, and other civilian facilities in an effort to disrupt daily life, a strategy described by Kyiv as aimed at wearing down the population.
The use of drones has intensified recently, with Moscow deploying swarms of fast, jet-powered models that are more difficult for Ukrainian air defenses to intercept. According to Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, these attacks targeted critical infrastructure, prompting calls for increased support from Western allies. Sybiha urged partners to apply greater economic pressure on Russia and to revisit discussions about using Russia’s frozen assets to finance Ukraine’s defense needs. He also highlighted Ukraine’s dwindling supply of US-made Patriot missile interceptors, which are key to countering Russia’s ballistic missile assaults.
The human toll was concentrated both in Kyiv and satellite towns. Officials reported eight fatalities in Kyiv alone, many of whom were railway workers. In Boryspil, just outside the capital, a residential building and other sites were struck, resulting in four deaths and over a dozen injuries. Residents there described significant damage, including large craters from explosive impacts. In the Black Sea region near the border with NATO-member Romania, missile strikes caused power outages affecting thousands of families.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed further drone attacks continued into Tuesday morning, causing injuries and a fire in a residential high-rise. Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat stated that more than 2,800 jet-powered drones were deployed by Russian forces in August, marking a fivefold increase since June. Ukraine has managed to intercept several ballistic missiles but faces growing challenges in air defense.
In response, Ukrainian forces have increased operations targeting Russian oil refineries, logistics hubs, and other military-related infrastructure, with a civilian casualty reported in Russia’s Belgorod region near the Ukrainian border. Meanwhile, Estonia’s defense ministry reported instances of drones briefly entering its airspace during a Ukrainian strike on Russia, underscoring the broader regional risks involved.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that the overnight strikes focused on military and energy targets in Kyiv, Odesa, and adjacent regions. Despite ongoing military pressure, peace talks mediated by external parties have stalled, with Ukraine rejecting Russian demands to cede territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he recently engaged in detailed discussions with envoys from the United States and is working toward finalizing dates for an official visit by American representatives.