Russia launches massive strikelaunches massive strike on Kyiv
Russia launched a large missile and drone attack on Kyiv early on Sunday, May 24, killing and wounding civilians and damaging homes and other buildings across the Ukrainian capital.
Several reports said the assault came after Moscow vowed retaliation for Ukrainian strikes in Russian-occupied territory, and Ukraine said a hypersonic Oreshnik missile may have been used.
The attack underscores the continuing risk of escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war and the pressure on air defenses, diplomacy, and civilian safety.
Ukrainian Perspective
Ukrainian officials described the attack as a major strike on the capital that hit residential and public areas. They said the scale of the bombardment showed Russia was widening pressure on civilians while testing Ukraine’s air defenses.
Russian Perspective
Russian officials framed the attack as retaliation for Ukrainian strikes in Russian-occupied areas. Moscow also highlighted the Oreshnik system as a powerful weapon designed to overcome defenses and hit hardened targets.
Western Perspective
Western reporting focused on the attack’s size, the civilian damage, and the possibility that Russia used advanced long-range weapons. European officials were also expected to discuss how to increase pressure on Moscow after the strike.
- Kyiv sits on the Dnieper River, one of eastern Europe’s major waterways.
- Hypersonic weapons can travel so fast and maneuver so sharply that interception becomes much harder.
- The word Kyiv is the preferred English spelling used by many Ukrainians since independence.
Russia-Ukraine War
Russia and Ukraine are locked in an retaliatory long-range drone and missile war that now strikes deep into both countries, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Crimea, and major Ukrainian cities like Kyiv and Dnipro. Ukrainian forces launched one of their largest drone attacks on June 26, striking 12 Russian regions and hitting key energy targets, while Russia continues massive retaliatory bombardments that kill civilians and destroy infrastructure.
26 June, 09:41 AM
Ukraine unleashes massive drone bombardment on 12 Russian regions24 June, 10:31 AM
Ukrainian drones knock out power in Russian-held Sevastopol22 June, 03:20 PM
Ukraine strikes Russian missile electronics plant in Voronezh
