Ukraine demands urgent UN meeting after massive Kyiv strike

Monday 25 May 2026 - 11:25

By: Dakir Madiha

Ukraine demands urgent UN meeting after massive Kyiv strike

Ukraine has requested an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council and a joint meeting of the OSCE security cooperation forum following one of the largest Russian aerial attacks on Kyiv since the start of the war. The overnight assault on 23–24 May killed at least four people and injured more than 100 across the country, with Kyiv accounting for the majority of casualties.

Ukrainian authorities reported that Russian forces launched around 90 missiles and 600 drones in a coordinated strike lasting several hours. The attack targeted Kyiv and surrounding regions, damaging residential buildings across multiple districts of the capital as well as cultural and educational facilities. Among the weapons used was the Orechnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, deployed for only the third time in the conflict, according to Ukrainian military sources.

Emergency services confirmed widespread destruction in the capital, with more than 80 injuries reported in Kyiv alone, including children. The missile struck areas near Bila Tserkva, about 80 kilometres south of the capital. European governments including France and Germany condemned the use of the missile, citing concerns over escalation and civilian risk.

The World Health Organization confirmed that its Kyiv office was hit by debris during the attack. Windows on the third floor of a building housing several United Nations agencies were damaged. The incident has intensified concerns about the safety of humanitarian and international institutions operating in Ukraine.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry called for immediate international action, urging UN members to convene the Security Council and OSCE bodies without delay. Officials argued that repeated large-scale strikes demonstrate a deliberate pattern of attacks on civilian infrastructure, referencing earlier bombardments in May that were among the most intense since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022.