Russia launched its largest air strike of the war in Ukraine on Sunday night, using more than 800 drones to hit a government building in Kyiv for the first time.

The unprecedented assault involved 810 Shahed-type drones and 13 cruise and ballistic missiles, targeting residential areas, civilian infrastructure, and the Cabinet of Ministers building, marking a dangerous escalation in Russia’s campaign against Ukraine.

In Kyiv, the Sviatoshynskyi district bore the brunt of the attack. A young woman and her newborn child were killed when a residential building collapsed under the blast. “She was thrown out into the street by the blast wave,” said Inna, a resident of a neighboring building. Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed seven people were hospitalized, including a pregnant woman, while an elderly woman died in a shelter in the Darnytskyi district. Fires erupted across the city, damaging multiple buildings, cars, and warehouses. Smoke was reported rising from the Cabinet of Ministers building in Pecherskyi district, marking the first strike on a central government building during the war.

The assault spread across Ukraine, with Kryvyi Rih experiencing missile and drone strikes on residential buildings, schools, and businesses, leaving at least three people hospitalized. Odesa saw attacks on civilian infrastructure and residential areas, while Zaporizhzhia’s industrial district was hit, though without casualties. In Poltava Oblast, a bridge, a municipal building, and homes in Kremenchuk were damaged, alongside railway infrastructure, according to local officials. Explosions were reported in Kharkiv, Dnipro, and other cities, underscoring the widespread nature of the strikes.

Ukraine’s Air Force intercepted 747 drones and four cruise missiles, but nine missiles and 54 drones hit 33 locations, with debris causing further damage at 14 additional sites. Polish air defenses, aided by Dutch F-35 fighter jets, were activated to protect Poland’s airspace after repeated violations by Russian drones.

President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attacks as “deliberate crimes” designed to prolong the conflict, calling for increased Western sanctions and support. Zelensky also criticized stalled peace negotiations, rejecting a proposed meeting in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying, “He can come to Kyiv. I can’t go to Moscow when my country is under missiles, under attack, each day.”

The strike follows a prior record set in July 2025, when 728 drones and missiles targeted Ukrainian cities. According to the United Nations, civilian casualties in the first five months of 2025 were 50% higher than the previous year, with deliberate attacks on energy facilities, schools, and hospitals widely condemned as potential war crimes. Ukraine has responded with long-range drone strikes on Russian military bases, though peace talks remain stalled.

The international community has expressed alarm at the escalating violence. Social media platforms report widespread outrage over Russia’s targeting of civilians, with calls for increased military aid and sanctions. As the war approaches its third year, millions remain displaced, infrastructure has been decimated, and Ukraine continues to face rolling blackouts and severe shortages. (ILKHA)