A woman reacts in front of a residential building heavily damaged by a Russian strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025.
Russia launched its biggest aerial assault on Ukraine since the war started, striking Kyiv with drones and missiles. The attack killed four people, wounded dozens, and damaged a key government building in the capital.
Russia Unleashes Record Drone Strike
Ukraine’s air force said Russia used 810 drones and decoys in the overnight assault. Out of them, 747 drones and four missiles were destroyed. Thirteen missiles were also launched, with nine hitting their targets.
The strikes were recorded at 33 locations across the country. According to officials, 54 drones and multiple missiles struck both residential and strategic sites.
Smoke Over Kyiv’s Government Headquarters
Associated Press reporters witnessed smoke rising from the Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv. It remains unclear whether the smoke was from a direct hit or falling debris. The building houses Ukraine’s government ministers.
Police cordoned off the area as ambulances and fire crews arrived. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko later confirmed a fire spread across 800 square meters inside the government building.
“For the first time since the invasion, Russia struck our government headquarters in central Kyiv,” she said.
Civilian Deaths and Widespread Damage
City officials reported two deaths and 20 injuries in Kyiv alone. The victims included a mother and her three-month-old baby, whose bodies were recovered from rubble.
At least 10 locations across the capital were damaged. Direct hits destroyed parts of a nine-story building in Sviatoshynskyi district and a four-story residential block in Darnytskyi.
“I have no more words left to express what I feel towards Russia,” said Olha, a 77-year-old resident. “Although I’m an ethnic Russian myself, I never thought my people would do this.”
Zelenskyy Condemns Strikes, Seeks Stronger Support
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed four deaths and 44 injuries nationwide. He spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron soon after the attack.
“Together with France, we are preparing new measures to strengthen our defense,” Zelenskyy said.
Macron accused Russia of “striking indiscriminately” and warned that Moscow is sinking deeper into “the logic of war and terror.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer echoed his concerns, calling the strikes “cowardly” and urging stronger global support for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy stressed that Russia is not serious about peace. “The world can force the Kremlin to stop killing. Only political will is needed,” he said.
Russia Claims Military Targets Only
Moscow defended the attack, claiming it used precision weapons against military facilities, drone depots, and logistics hubs. The Russian Defense Ministry insisted that “no strikes were carried out on civilian objects within Kyiv.”
Despite this claim, evidence from Kyiv shows residential damage and the hit on a government building.
This marks the second mass drone and missile strike on Kyiv in just two weeks, highlighting the escalation.
European Leaders Push for End to War
The attack comes as European leaders press Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate. Twenty-six Ukrainian allies have pledged to deploy a “reassurance force” once fighting ends.
Zelenskyy has said he is ready to meet Putin for peace talks. He also urged the United States to tighten sanctions on Russia to pressure Moscow into ending the war.
Ukraine Strikes Back Inside Russia
Meanwhile, Russia reported intercepting 100 Ukrainian drones across its territory, Crimea, and the Azov Sea.
In the Krasnodar region, debris from a downed drone caused a brief fire at an oil refinery. Two people were injured in Belgorod and Voronezh regions.
Russia also claimed to have seized the village of Khoroshe in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region. Kyiv has not confirmed the loss.
