Russia launched another wave of missile attacks on Kyiv in the early hours of October 25, targeting Ukraine’s capital with ballistic missiles in what officials described as a deliberate strike on civilian areas.

Explosions were heard across Kyiv shortly before 4 a.m. local time, according to local reporters. At least two people were killed and 12 others injured, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed. One of the injured later died in hospital, bringing the death toll to two, said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration.

“No ammunition, no military production. Russian terrorists are hitting our civilian and residential infrastructure with ballistic missiles. All we see is pure terror,” Tkachenko wrote on Telegram later in the day.

The assault comes only days after Russia’s previous large-scale attack on Ukrainian cities on October 22, which targeted energy facilities and left six dead and at least 44 injured. Ukrainian officials say Moscow has intensified strikes on energy infrastructure ahead of winter, raising fears of widespread power shortages.

Klitschko warned earlier this week that Kyiv could face its “most difficult winter” since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia launched nine Iskander-M ballistic missiles from its Rostov and Kursk regions, alongside 62 Shahed-type attack and decoy drones. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 50 drones and four missiles, but 12 drones and five missiles hit targets across four locations in the city.

Following the bombardment, multiple fires broke out on Kyiv’s left bank — the part of the city east of the Dnipro River — according to Tkachenko. Emergency responders said aviation units, robotic equipment, and unmanned systems were deployed to contain and extinguish the fires, which have since been localized.

The State Emergency Service confirmed damage in several residential and non-residential buildings. In the Desnianskyi and Darnytskyi districts, large fires broke out at industrial and commercial sites, while in the Dniprovskyi district, the explosions shattered windows, destroyed vehicles, and left a large crater in the yard of a residential building. A kindergarten in the same area was also damaged.

Authorities have not reported disruptions to essential services, but emergency crews remain on alert amid fears of renewed strikes.

The attack underscores Russia’s continued campaign of missile and drone assaults on Ukraine’s capital as part of its ongoing effort to cripple civilian infrastructure and demoralize the population ahead of the approaching winter months. (ILKHA)