At least 16 people, including two children, were killed when a Russian missile hit an apartment block in Kiev on Thursday morning, officials said, as airstrikes hit Ukrainian cities for the third consecutive day.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the building was nearly destroyed and 20 people were missing.
Interior Minister Ihor Klimenko initially said more than 30 people were injured in the nine-story building.
Across Ukraine, Zelensky said 180 structures were damaged by Russian strikes, 50 of which were targeted residential apartment blocks. Dozens of people were injured in the attacks in the Ukrainian capital.
He said 28 people were wounded in the attacks on the northeastern city of Kharkiv and two were wounded in the attacks on the Black Sea port city of Odessa.
What else do we know about the latest Russian attack?
The Ukrainian president said Russia had launched 1,567 drones since early Wednesday, in what was considered Russia’s largest air attack since the start of the war four years ago.
Ukrainian officials say at least 22 civilians have been killed in two days.
Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko declared a day of mourning in the capital on Friday.
In his nightly address, Zelensky said the Kiev building was attacked by a Kh-101 missile, which was manufactured “in the second quarter of this year.”
“This means that Russia is still importing components, resources and equipment needed for missile production, bypassing global sanctions,” he said. “Stopping Russia’s sanctions evasion schemes must be a real priority for all our partners.”
Russia’s biggest attack since full-scale invasion
The Ukrainian cities of Kremenchuk, Bila Tserkva and Sumy were also targeted on Thursday, officials said.
“We are now experiencing the largest number of attacks since the beginning of a full-scale offensive,” Air Force spokesman Yuri Ihnat told Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne.
Russia has launched massive attacks across Ukraine for the third consecutive day, shortly after fighting calmed down during a three-day armistice marking the end of World War II. Kiev had offered to extend the ceasefire, which Russia rejected.
On Wednesday, Russia launched more than 800 drones over Ukraine, killing at least six people and injuring dozens. It was described as one of their heaviest and longest attacks of the war.
Although air defenses were being stepped up, Zelensky said the interception rate of drones and missiles was more than 93%.
Ukraine asks US, China to put pressure on Putin
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said the escalating Russian attacks as US President Donald Trump meets with China’s Xi Jinping in Beijing are a sign that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is not interested in ending the war despite hopes for a ceasefire.
Zelensky expected Trump to raise the issue of the war in Ukraine during talks with Xi, as China provides a vital economic lifeline for Russia isolated by sanctions.
“At a time when the leaders of the most powerful countries are meeting in Beijing, and the world is hoping for peace, predictability and cooperation, Putin launched hundreds of drones, ballistic and cruise missiles at the Ukrainian capital,” Sibiha wrote on X.
He said, “I’m sure that the leaders of the United States and China have enough influence over Moscow that they can finally get Putin to end the war.”
Europeans condemn the attacks
Zelensky said, “These are certainly not the actions of those who believe that the war is ending. It is important that partners do not remain silent about this strike.”
In a post on Twitter on Thursday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the attacks made it clear that Moscow was “choosing to escalate tensions rather than dialogue.”
French President Emmanuel Macron said, “By bombing civilians, Russia demonstrates less its strength than its weakness: it is running out of solutions on the military front and does not know how to end its war of aggression.”
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said the attacks on Kiev showed that Russia “openly mocks” efforts to end the war.
In a change for Hungary, the country’s new foreign minister, Anita Orban, said Budapest strongly condemned the attacks and had summoned the Russian ambassador.
“we expect [Russia] “Immediately cease your aggression against civilians,” said Orban, who is no relation to Hungary’s Russia-friendly former Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery