The conflict between Russia and Ukraine escalated on Friday with a Russian ballistic missile attack on Kyiv, killing at least one person and injuring 12 others. The assault, described as retaliation for a recent Ukrainian strike on Russian soil using Western-supplied weapons, marked another grim chapter in the nearly three-year-long war.
Early morning blasts in Kyiv rattled the city, damaging critical infrastructure and residential areas. Ukraine’s air force managed to intercept five Iskander short-range ballistic missiles, but falling debris caused extensive damage. Around 630 residential buildings, 16 medical facilities, and 30 schools and kindergartens were left without heating. Iconic landmarks like the Catholic Church of St. Nicholas and the Kyiv National Linguistic University sustained damage, as did approximately two dozen high-rise office buildings. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry also reported damage to six embassies, possibly from blast waves.
The attack followed a Ukrainian missile strike on Russia’s Rostov region earlier this week, reportedly involving U.S.-made ATACMS missiles and UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles. Ukraine claimed to have targeted infrastructure supporting Russia’s war effort, including an oil refinery. This marked an escalation in Ukraine’s use of long-range Western weaponry, which has angered the Kremlin.
In response, Russia’s Defense Ministry stated it targeted Ukrainian military intelligence facilities, Neptune missile production sites, and U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems in Kyiv. It also highlighted its use of hypersonic "Oreshnik" missiles, a weapon deployed for the first time after Ukraine's November 19 attacks. While Russian authorities claimed all targets were successfully hit, independent verification remains unavailable.
Elsewhere, Russian missile strikes continued to ravage Ukrainian cities. In Kryvyi Rih, six people, including a 15-year-old girl, were killed in a nighttime attack. In Kherson, artillery shelling caused widespread damage, leaving 60,000 residents without power.
Civilians in Kyiv and across Ukraine remain resilient despite the relentless bombardment. Valeriia Dubova, a resident of Kyiv, described seeking shelter in a crowded subway station during air raid sirens and witnessing extensive damage, with shattered glass and debris far from the explosion sites. The ongoing strikes underline the war's devastating toll on both military and civilian populations.
The escalation raises concerns over the increasing use of advanced weaponry by both sides and the implications for civilian safety as the conflict shows no signs of abating.
