KYIV, Ukraine — On Thursday, a relentless assault of missiles and drones struck Kyiv for hours, resulting in at least 12 fatalities. This deadly onslaught, the harshest attack on the Ukrainian capital since July, coincided with U.S. President Donald Trump expressing rare criticism toward Moscow as peace efforts were intensifying.
Residents endured the 11-hour attack in anxiety, many staying awake all night amidst loud explosions and vivid flashes illuminating the sky. Distraught families crowded into communal air-raid shelters, some bringing along their pets. The early morning strikes, commencing around 1 a.m., targeted at least five neighborhoods, causing severe damage to numerous residential buildings and wounding about 90 individuals.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy decided to curtail his official visit to South Africa to return to the beleaguered city. He described the heavy assault as one of Russia’s “most outrageous” acts, marking perhaps the heaviest attack on Kyiv within the past nine months.
Trump, known for typically holding back criticism of the Kremlin, expressed his discontent with the attack. He urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the destructive offensive, declaring on his Truth Social media platform, “Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP!” He further added, “Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!”
Top U.S. officials hinted that if a negotiation did not result in a cessation of conflict soon, the Trump administration may abandon its peacemaking attempts.
According to the Ukrainian air force, Russia launched a massive assault, comprising 66 ballistic and cruise missiles, four plane-launched air-to-surface missiles, and 145 Shahed and decoy drones targeting Kyiv and four additional regions in Ukraine. Rescue squads utilized flashlights to search through charred remains of partially collapsed homes, as emergency vehicles illuminated the draped city streets.
This attack coincided with protracted peace talks that seemed to be nearing a conclusion without any resolution, just hours after Trump critiqued Zelenskyy for protracting the conflict by refusing to surrender Crimea, occupied by Russia, as a piece of a proposed peace agreement.
During an Oval Office meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Trump reiterated that Crimea was annexed without armed conflict under President Barack Obama’s term. In response to a query about Putin’s actions towards a peace deal, Trump remarked, “stopping taking the whole country, pretty big concession.”
Zelenskyy has consistently stated that recognizing Russian-occupied land is unacceptable for Ukraine, which has been embroiled in this conflict for four years. On Thursday, he pointed out that Ukraine had agreed to a U.S.-proposed ceasefire over 44 days prior as an initial step towards peace negotiations, yet Russian assaults persisted. He indicated that any further negotiations depended on Moscow’s willingness to act, as the decision rests with them.
In recent discussions, Russia inflicted devastation on Sumy, claiming over 30 civilian lives during a Palm Sunday gathering, attacking Odesa with drones, and bombarding Zaporizhzhia with potent glide bombs.
Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s Foreign Policy Chief, emphasized that Russia remains the primary barrier to peace, stating, “While claiming to seek peace, Russia launched a deadly airstrike on Kyiv,” further adding, “This isn’t a pursuit of peace, it’s a mockery of it.”
French President Emmanuel Macron urged Putin to cease deceiving claims about desiring peace while actively bombing Ukraine, questioning whether Putin would agree to an unconditional ceasefire.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha indicated that Putin aims to consolidate his forces along the 1,000-kilometer front line, maintaining momentum while asserting that Putin disregards peace initiatives, instead continuing the war, “Weakness and concessions will not stop his terror and aggression. Only strength and pressure will.”
Russia’s full-scale invasion commenced in February 2022, leading to the death of approximately 13,000 civilians, including 618 children, as cited by Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
Following the attack, at least 42 individuals were hospitalized, per Ukraine’s State Emergency Service. Tragically, the casualties included a brother and sister, aged 21 and 19, respectively.
Amidst rubble from a heavily damaged residential building, rescuers extracted a woman, her body covered in dust and expressing anguish. A senior lady sat shocked, blood smeared on her face, while paramedics attended to her injuries. Multiple residential buildings were reported to be on fire, as described by Tymur Tkachenko, Kyiv’s city military administration head.
Oksana Bilozir, a student injured in the chaos, recounted hearing an explosion after alarms sounded, prompting her to pack necessities to flee to safety, only for another blast to collapse walls and extinguish lights. “I honestly don’t even know how this will all end, it’s very scary,” she remarked, advocating for battlefield resistance since diplomacy appeared ineffective.
Zelenskyy announced his immediate return to Kyiv in a Telegram post following a meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, seeking further alliance to end the conflict.
Anastasiia Zhuravlova, a 33-year-old mother, sought refuge in a basement after explosions damaged her home. The initial blast shattered windows, launching kitchen appliances airborne, with glass shards showering her family as they rushed towards safety. “After that, we came to the shelter because it was scary and dangerous at home,” she solemnly stated.
In the Sviatoshynskyi district, another attack obliterated a two-story residential structure, severely affecting neighboring buildings. In a makeshift relief center, children and adults began patching shattered windows with plastic coverings, standing amongst strewn debris, visibly shaken.