‘Massive’ attack on Kyiv overnight – DW – 11/14/2025

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that some 430 drones and 18 missiles were used in the deadly Russian attack on Kiev overnight.

He described the attack as a “deliberately planned” attack aimed at “causing maximum damage to people and civilian infrastructure”.

“The main target of the attack was Kiev, and the attacks also took place on the Kiev, Kharkiv and Odessa regions,” the Ukrainian leader wrote on the social media platform X.

He said four people were killed and several others, including children and a pregnant woman, were injured in the attack.

Zelensky said dozens of apartment buildings were damaged in the attacks and emergency services were working in targeted areas throughout the night.

Debris from the Iskander missile had fallen on the Azerbaijani embassy, ​​he said.

Zelensky said Russia also used Zircon missiles in the Sumy region on Friday morning.

Ukrainian President has urged sanctions against Russia following the latest Russian attacks.

“Russia is still able to sell oil and make its own plans. This must all end,” he said.

He said Europe and the United States could help Ukraine strengthen its air defense, including additional systems and interceptor missiles.

“We are relying on actual decisions,” Zelensky stressed in his statement.

The war in Ukraine has left key jobs vacant, as hundreds of thousands of people have become soldiers.

Women are stepping up to take on roles that were once dominated by men – including emergency services like firefighting.

Russia said its air defenses shot down or intercepted more than 200 Ukrainian drones overnight.

“During last night, air-defense assets intercepted and destroyed 216 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles,” the Russian Defense Ministry posted on Telegram.

The ministry said 66 drones were downed in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region, where officials had earlier said an oil depot and port were targeted.

Moscow said a total of 45 Ukrainian drones were also downed in Saratov.

Access to reliable information has emerged as a major battlefield since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

As the country moves towards EU integration, independent media find themselves in a leading role in fighting disinformation, protecting democracy and keeping citizens informed.

At the DW Academy event held this week, ten Ukrainian journalists presented their work to a gathering of European policymakers and media experts.

Read more: Ukrainian journalists come to the front lines in Brussels

A ship, several apartment buildings and an oil depot were damaged in a Ukrainian drone strike in the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk on Friday morning, local officials confirmed.

The operational headquarters for Russia’s southern Krasnodar region said three injured crew members were taken by ship to hospital for treatment.

Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment on the attack.

Despite not having a large navy, Ukraine has achieved some success in the Black Sea since the beginning of the war, using aerial and waterborne drones to force Russia’s Black Sea Fleet into eastern ports such as Novorossiysk.

Ukraine’s capital Kiev was hit by “large-scale” Russian airstrikes early Friday morning. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack killed four people and injured several others.

Buildings were damaged in “almost every district”.

Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said air defense units were working to repulse a “massive enemy attack” but “parts of the heating network were damaged.” He warned that electricity and water supplies could also be disrupted.

“The Russians are targeting residential buildings,” said Timur Tkachenko, head of the city’s military administration. “There are a lot of damaged high-rise buildings throughout Kiev, in almost every district.”

The governor of the Kyiv region outside the capital said drone and missile strikes injured one person and caused fires in several places. A 55-year-old man in the town of Bila Tserkwa suffered thermal burns and was admitted to hospital.

The Ukrainian Air Force said that Russia is also targeting many other areas with drones and guided bombs.

Good morning and welcome to DW’s coverage of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine’s capital Kiev was targeted by “large-scale” airstrikes early Friday.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said four people were killed and dozens of others were injured, as residential buildings were damaged across the city.

Stay tuned for latest news and analysis.