A dramatic escalation in Russia's aerial assault on Ukraine unfolded early Monday as Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions were subjected to a relentless barrage of missiles and drones. The attack, which coincided with the first day of school for many Ukrainian children, resulted in significant damage, injuries, and disruptions across the capital.
In the pre-dawn hours, Kyiv was rocked by a series of intense explosions, as Russian forces launched a combination of cruise and ballistic missiles along with Shahed drones. Air raid sirens blared throughout the city as residents were jolted awake, with air defense systems scrambling to intercept the incoming threats. According to the Ukrainian air force, 22 out of 35 missiles and 20 of 23 drones were successfully intercepted, though debris from the attacks fell across various districts, causing extensive damage.
"The air defense forces managed to bring down a significant portion of the incoming missiles and drones," said a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force. Despite their efforts, the attack caused fires and damage to infrastructure in multiple areas, including a boiler house at a Kyiv water plant and a metro station serving as a bomb shelter. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that three people were injured, with two requiring hospitalization.
The timing of the attack was particularly poignant as it coincided with the return to school, a significant event in Ukraine marked by ceremonies and traditional celebrations. Yevheniia, a 33-year-old mother, recounted the chaos of the morning as she prepared her daughter Margo for her first day of school. "Our apartment started to stink of smoke, but we still need to go to school, right? We are Ukrainians," she said, trying to maintain a sense of normalcy despite the circumstances.
The barrage also impacted other parts of the city, with cars ablaze in the Shevchenkivskyi district and a non-residential building damaged. Emergency services responded swiftly to the scenes of destruction across the Svyatoshynskyi, Solomyanskyi, and Holosiivskyi districts. "The scale of the damage is considerable," Mayor Klitschko noted, emphasizing the strain on the city's emergency services.
In addition to the attacks on Kyiv, other Ukrainian cities also faced Russian strikes. Sumy, in northeastern Ukraine, was hit by a missile attack that destroyed a social and psychological rehabilitation center for children, injuring 18 people. Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, reported an early morning explosion that ignited several residential buildings.
The timing of the assault was not lost on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who used the occasion to underscore the resilience of the Ukrainian people. "Today is one of the most important days of the year for millions of our Ukrainian children, families, and teachers," Zelenskyy said in a statement on Telegram. "All our schools and educational institutions that are operating today are proof of the resilience of our people and the strength of Ukraine."
The ongoing conflict has seen both Russia and Ukraine engaged in relentless long-range missile and drone strikes, with Russia's most recent attacks highlighting the continued high stakes of the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin, addressing students in southern Siberia, dismissed Ukraine's recent offensives as ineffective in halting Russian advances in the Donetsk region, while Ukrainian forces continue to push into Russia's Kursk region.
