kyiv rocked by repeated Russian attacks overnight, 2 killed after Zelensky’s ‘massive strike’ warning

Multiple explosions rocked kyiv in repeated waves in the early hours of Wednesday as Russia launched ballistic missiles towards the Ukrainian capital, causing damage in several districts.

A Kyiv Post reporter in the capital reported several loud explosions after Ukraine’s air force warned that ballistic missiles were heading toward the city.

A few hours later, Kyiv was rocked a second time by explosions. Ukrinform reported further explosions around 5:12 a.m., shortly after the air force detected several more ballistic missiles heading toward the capital. The air raid warning remained in force.

The attacks came just hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned in his evening speech that Ukrainian intelligence had received updated information indicating that Russia was preparing a “massive strike.” He urged residents to take missile warnings seriously and said Ukrainian forces were ready to respond “as much as our defenses allow.”

The Ukrainian Air Force has warned of ballistic missiles heading towards kyiv, Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia after reporting a threat from Russia’s Bryansk region and the south.

The nighttime assault also included jet drones moving into several areas. The Air Force tracked these drones over the northern kyiv region, while cruise missiles were later reported over the Kharkiv and Poltava regions.

Damage reported in Kyiv

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and the Kyiv City Military Administration reported damage in several districts during the attack.

Other topics of interest

Zelensky awards the title of Hero of Ukraine to the fallen pilot of the MiG-29 “Ghost of Kyiv”

The 25-year-old captain of the “Ghost of kyiv” flew about 200 combat missions and died after his MiG-29 was hit by a Russian missile.

In the Obolonskyi district, a strike was recorded in a non-residential development zone.

In Podilskyi, warehouses were hit and damaged.

In Darnytskyi, burning debris fell on an open area, while in Shevchenkivskyi district another strike hit a non-residential area.

The Kiev city military administration later reported further consequences of the Darnytskyi attack, where damage was noted on the territory of a garage cooperative.

Air defenses operated over the capital as authorities repeatedly urged residents to stay in shelters.

Kyiv strikes again before dawn

The second series of explosions occurred several hours after the first ballistic missile attack.

Shortly before the new explosions, the Ukrainian Air Force detected several ballistic missiles heading towards kyiv.

The repeated explosions were part of a broader Russian attack overnight in which fast-moving missiles and drones were spotted in several regions of Ukraine.

The kyiv city military administration announced in the morning that two people had been killed in the attack.

The State Emergency Service (DSNS) said firefighters extinguished a fire covering 200 square meters in a garage cooperative in Darnytskyi district. The bodies of two victims were recovered during the firefighting operation, while two other people were rescued.

Kyiv under growing pressure

The latest attack comes as Kyiv faces a Russian air campaign that intensifies as winter approaches.

Russia is increasingly targeting Ukraine’s energy and transportation infrastructure, including railways, roads and bridges over the Dnipro.

The capital has also suffered repeated drone attacks, day and night, in recent days, while air raid sirens sounded for prolonged periods and forced residents to take refuge in shelters, basements and metro stations.

Scheduled power cuts had already plunged parts of kyiv into darkness on Tuesday evening, in a bid to reduce pressure on the damaged power grid.

Russian forces have also repeatedly struck kyiv’s bridges in recent days, disrupting road and metropolitan traffic at major Dnipro crossings.

The warning came hours before the attack

Zelensky said late Tuesday that Ukrainian intelligence had new information about Russian preparations for a large-scale attack.

“There is updated intelligence regarding Russia’s preparations for a massive strike,” he said, urging Ukrainians to respond to missile alerts.

He also stressed that Ukraine’s ability to repel incoming missiles remained dependent on continued arms deliveries from its allies.

The warning was followed on Tuesday by reports that three Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers had taken off from Belaya air base.

Hours later, ballistic missiles were heading toward kyiv and other major Ukrainian cities, followed by more explosions in the capital before dawn.