Zelensky on Overnight Strike: ‘Russian ‘Humanists’ Launch 21 Ballistic Missiles at Kyiv in 3 Waves’

Russia launched three waves of ballistic missile strikes against Kyiv during an overnight attack that followed the latest negotiations. Zelensky said 21 missiles were used. The strikes caused extensive damage across the capital, while attacks also reached 12 Ukrainian regions. Two people were confirmed dead, and 34 were wounded in Kyiv and elsewhere, including five children.

The damage reached both civilian and industrial sites. Residential buildings, energy facilities, a railway station, metro infrastructure, shopping centers, industrial enterprises and a monastery were hit. Officials also reported damage to a restaurant complex and buildings in six Kyiv districts. A missile or debris damaged the Southern Bridge metro infrastructure and restricted traffic.

The attack showed how urban strikes can disrupt daily life far beyond direct casualties. Six emergency vehicles at an ambulance station were damaged, though no medical personnel were injured. Ukrainian officials said Russia also launched 210 drones, making the assault a combined missile-and-drone operation across the country.

A ballistic missile is a weapon that receives strong propulsion at launch and then follows a largely arcing trajectory toward its target. It can travel extremely fast and may give defenders only a short warning. An attack drone is an unmanned aircraft powered throughout much or all of its flight, allowing it to loiter, navigate and sometimes change direction.

The article identifies both weapon types in the assault. Zelensky described three waves involving 21 ballistic missiles. Ukraine’s Air Force separately reported 210 attack drones, alongside Iskander-M, S-400, Zircon and Oniks missiles. Ukrainian defenses shot down or suppressed 181 drones by 9 a.m. Thursday.

Their different flight patterns affect defense planning. Missiles demand rapid detection and specialized interceptors. Drones may be slower and easier to track, but their large numbers can overwhelm defenses. Used together, the weapons can stretch air-defense systems and increase the chance that some reach urban targets.

The assault was large in both weapon count and geographic reach. Zelensky said Russia used 21 ballistic missiles against Kyiv in three waves. Ukraine’s Air Force reported 210 attack drones alongside Iskander-M, S-400, Zircon and Oniks missiles. Twelve Ukrainian regions came under attack overnight, with Kyiv identified as the main target.

By 9 a.m. Thursday, Ukrainian air defenses had shot down or suppressed 181 drones. Russian weapons struck 32 locations, while debris from intercepted drones fell at eight other sites. Zelensky reported 34 wounded people in Kyiv and other regions, including five children, and two confirmed deaths. A separate Kyiv official account recorded one death and at least 24 injuries in the capital.

The figures show both the scale of the barrage and the difficulty of measuring its toll during a fast-moving attack. Damage spread across civilian and industrial infrastructure. The reported numbers could differ because officials described different geographic areas and stages of assessment.

The immediate consequences reached civilians, transport, utilities and emergency services. Residential buildings and other civilian structures were damaged across six Kyiv districts. Officials reported two deaths and dozens of injuries, including children. Energy facilities, shopping centers, a railway station, industrial enterprises and a monastery were also affected.

Transport was disrupted when part of the metro infrastructure on Kyiv’s Southern Bridge was damaged. Traffic restrictions followed. An ambulance station in the Pecherskyi district was hit, damaging six emergency vehicles, although no medical personnel were injured. A restaurant complex and other non-residential buildings also sustained damage.

The attack complicated the city’s ability to function and respond. Emergency services had to work at all affected locations while infrastructure was being assessed. Ukrainian officials said Russian weapons struck 32 locations, with drone debris falling at eight more. The damage demonstrates how missile and drone attacks can create secondary risks even where defenses intercept some weapons.

The diplomatic effort involved Ukraine, Russia and the United States. US envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on Wednesday. The meeting took place as Washington pursued renewed efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine and revive negotiations.

The Kremlin signaled willingness to resume trilateral talks involving the three countries. Those negotiations were intended to find a way to end the war. The article also notes that Russia released American citizen Stephen Hubbard, who had been imprisoned in Russia for more than four years, as Washington sought to revive the process.

The missile attack came almost immediately after the latest negotiation round. Zelensky argued that this timing showed Moscow had not genuinely changed its approach. He said diplomacy should continue, but negotiations alone would not be enough. In his view, pressure, air defenses, weapons supplies and sanctions were also needed to compel Russia to stop the killing.

Ballistic missiles are difficult targets because they can travel at very high speed and descend toward targets after an arcing flight. This shortens the time available to detect, identify and intercept them. Their speed and altitude also require specialized radar, command systems and interceptor missiles. These technical points are standard features of ballistic-missile defense; the article does not detail the physics.

The attack illustrates the challenge. Russia used 21 ballistic missiles against Kyiv in three waves, alongside 210 attack drones. Ukraine reported intercepting or suppressing 181 drones, but missiles struck 32 locations. The strikes damaged homes, energy facilities, transport systems and other urban sites.

Protection therefore requires layered defenses, including early-warning sensors, tracking networks, compatible interceptors and well-trained crews. Zelensky specifically called for stronger air defenses, rapid missile deliveries and the capability to destroy Russian ballistic-missile launchers. He also urged sanctions over the war. The article presents these measures as necessary to change Russia’s behavior.

International humanitarian law is built around protecting civilians during war. Attackers must distinguish military objectives from civilians and civilian objects. They must take feasible precautions to reduce civilian harm. Attacks expected to cause excessive civilian damage compared with the anticipated military advantage are prohibited, as are attacks that cannot be directed at a specific military target.

These principles matter when strikes occur near homes, transport systems, energy facilities, hospitals or emergency services. The article reports damage to residential buildings, a metro link, an ambulance station, six emergency vehicles, energy facilities and a monastery. It also reports civilian deaths and injuries. Those facts show the human stakes, but they do not by themselves establish whether a particular strike violated the law.

Legal assessment would require evidence about each target, the information available to attackers, the weapons used, expected military advantage and precautions taken. The article does not provide that evidence or a ruling. It does report Zelensky’s call for civilian protection and pressure over the attacks.