Rescue workers clear the rubble of a residential house destroyed by a Russian strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Monday, June 23, 2025.
At least 14 civilians were killed and dozens injured in overnight Russian attacks across Ukraine. The strikes, which targeted residential areas, hospitals, and infrastructure, coincided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's diplomatic visit to the United Kingdom.
Death and Destruction in Kyiv
Kyiv suffered the most devastating blow. A missile strike led to the collapse of a five-story apartment building in the Shevchenkivskyi district, killing nine people. Emergency teams rescued ten others, including a pregnant woman, from a nearby damaged building. Over 30 people were injured across the city, and dozens of vehicles were destroyed.
Among the wounded were civilians sheltering in homes and hospitals. One of the missiles hit near the entrance of the Sviatoshyn subway station, slightly injuring two people. These underground stations, now familiar shelters during frequent aerial strikes, were again filled with residents seeking safety.
Targeting Civilians: Russia’s Brutal Strategy
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 352 drones and decoy targets, alongside 11 ballistic and five cruise missiles. Ukraine’s air defence systems managed to intercept 339 drones and 15 missiles. However, a few slipped through, causing massive damage and loss of life.
Later in the day, a ballistic missile struck a high school in the southern Odesa region, killing two staff members. No children were present due to the summer break. President Zelenskyy condemned the attack, calling it “absolutely insane.”
These assaults come just days after a previous Russian missile killed 28 people in Kyiv, most of them residents of a destroyed apartment complex. The trend signals a deliberate campaign to break civilian morale through long-range and high-impact strikes.
Zelenskyy’s UK Mission: Strengthening Ukraine’s Defence
While the attacks unfolded, President Zelenskyy was in the UK, meeting King Charles III and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. His agenda focuses on bolstering Ukraine’s defence and increasing pressure on Russia ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague.
Zelenskyy stated that preliminary evidence points to North Korean missiles being used in the Kyiv strike. He described the growing cooperation between Russia, North Korea, and Iran as a “coalition of murderers.” Iran has been supplying drones to Russia for several months.
French Condemnation and Promises of Action
In response to the latest attacks, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot criticized Russia’s “unlimited cruelty.” He emphasized that targeting civilians is a clear war crime and pledged more sanctions from the European Union against Moscow.
Nationwide Toll: More Casualties Beyond the Capital
The horror wasn't limited to Kyiv. In the Chernihiv region, two people died and 10 were injured—including three children—after a drone strike late Sunday. In Bila Tserkva, southwest of Kyiv, another person was killed and eight were injured overnight.
Across the nation, destruction has left communities devastated and emergency workers overwhelmed. Zelenskyy continues to stress the urgency of international support to strengthen Ukraine’s defence against relentless Russian aggression.
Russia’s Mistakes in Repatriation Efforts
In a separate development, Ukraine's Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko revealed that Russia mistakenly included at least 20 of its own soldiers in recent body swaps with Ukraine. Tests confirmed that at least five of the returned bodies were Russian.
Items like uniforms and cigarettes were displayed as evidence during a press briefing.
The identification process for the thousands of fallen soldiers will take at least a year, Klymenko added, further highlighting the confusion and disorder in Russia’s repatriation efforts.
