Deadly Russian strikes devastate Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities

Tuesday 17 June 2025 - 16:36

By: Zahouani Ilham

Deadly Russian strikes devastate Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities

On June 17, Russia launched a devastating attack on Kyiv, resulting in the deadliest assault on the Ukrainian capital this year. The assault included hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, killing at least 16 people and injuring 124 more.

Ukrainian authorities declared a day of mourning to honor the victims of what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called one of the most brutal attacks since the conflict began. Zelenskyy condemned the attacks as acts of terrorism and urged the international community to respond firmly.

The Russian military reported using missiles and drones launched from air, land, and sea targeting military-industrial sites in the Kyiv region and southern Zaporizhzhia province. About 27 locations in Kyiv were hit during multiple waves of attacks, damaging residential buildings, schools, and critical infrastructure.

One missile destroyed a section of a nine-story residential building in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district, reducing it to rubble. Rescue teams worked through the night to find survivors and evacuate the injured.

Kyiv police confirmed 15 fatalities in the capital, including a 62-year-old foreign national, and another death was reported in Odesa. Meanwhile, Ukraine has intensified drone strikes deep into Russian territory, though these have not caused comparable civilian damage.

Russia’s defense forces claimed to have intercepted nearly 150 Ukrainian drones during the night, including over the Moscow area. Despite ongoing peace talks after years of conflict, attacks have escalated in intensity and lethality.