In a devastating escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, eight powerful ballistic missiles rained down on Kyiv early Friday morning, killing at least one person and injuring a dozen more. The attack, which Russian President Vladimir Putin claims demonstrates Russia’s growing strength, left a trail of destruction across multiple districts of Ukraine’s capital.
Residents were jolted awake around 7 am local time by the sound of explosions and blaring air raid sirens. Ukraine’s air force reported intercepting eight Khinzal and Iskander-M missiles, but not before debris caused widespread damage to civilian areas and heritage sites. The assault shattered windows in the historic St. Nicholas Roman Catholic church and wrecked portions of the UNESCO-listed building.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko toured the devastation, calling the attack an act of “genocide” that demonstrated Putin’s disregard for innocent lives. “There is no justification for this,” Klitschko declared, appealing for more air defense systems to protect the city’s population.
Embassies and Businesses Damaged
The missiles also impacted diplomatic facilities, with the Portuguese embassy sustaining minor damage. Albania and Montenegro’s missions, located in the same block, were affected as well. Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel condemned the attack as “absolutely unacceptable.”
Businesses weren’t spared from the destruction either. The top floor of the Toronto business centre was blown apart, setting ablaze parked cars below. Among the tenants was Superhumans, a prosthetics clinic serving wounded Ukrainian soldiers. “It’s scary to think what would have happened if our glass room had been blown a couple hours later,” the clinic’s founder posted.
Ongoing Assault on Infrastructure
The missile barrage is part of Russia’s ongoing campaign targeting Ukrainian infrastructure, particularly power facilities, in an attempt to demoralize the population. Friday’s attack combined Khinzal missiles launched from jets with ground-fired Iskander-Ms, and possibly North Korean KN-23 missiles recently acquired by Moscow.
Over 1,200 Ukrainian heritage sites have been damaged or destroyed since the war began in 2022. The assault left hundreds of buildings in Kyiv without heat and power as winter sets in. Russia also bombarded the southern city of Kherson, killing one and injuring nine more.
The morning in Kyiv was truly devastating. The missiles were frighteningly close to our office.
– Yuliia Kuznets, VB Partners law firm
Putin Claims Strength, Seeks Talks
Speaking on Thursday, Putin asserted that the war had made Russia “much stronger” and expressed willingness to meet with incoming U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss peace proposals. However, he reiterated his hard-line position that Moscow would retain control of Crimea and four other Ukrainian regions purportedly annexed in 2022.
As the conflict rages on with no end in sight, innocent civilians continue to pay the price. Friday’s missile attack on Kyiv underscores the growing toll on lives, livelihoods, and irreplaceable cultural heritage. The world watches anxiously for a path to peace.
