‘Damage in every district of Kyiv’ — Massive Russian ballistic missile, drone attack kills 2, injures 33

Russian forces launched a large-scale combined missile and drone attack on Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight on May 24, striking residential buildings and other infrastructure across the capital. At least two people has been killed an 33 others injured in the attack, officials reported.

Monitoring groups reported that more than 50 Russian missiles and upwards of 700 drones were launched towards Ukraine, almost entirely targeting Kyiv, marking one of the largest mass attacks over the last year.

Kyiv Independent journalists on the ground reported hearing what they described as a massive series of missile strikes on Ukraine’s capital beginning around 1 a.m local time, and then again multiple times between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m.

Air raid alerts were issued for all region of the country as Ukraine’s Air Force reported that dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones were reported flying towards the capital around 12:30 a.m. local time.

Shortly thereafter, the Air Force issued warnings about a possible Russian launch of an Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile targeting Ukraine at 12:55 a.m., although the Kyiv Independent cannot immediately verify if the weapon has been used in the attack.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that damage had "been recorded in every district of the city."

Officials said that at least one person was killed and 21 others injured across the city, with 13 victims hospitalized in Kyiv. Three people were also injured in surrounding Kyiv Oblast, regional Governor Mykola Kalashnyk reported.

Photo: Evgen Kotenko; Genya Savilov; Oleksii Filoppov; Roman Pilipey; Arif Murat Kayacan/Getty Images.