The death toll from a Russian missile strike on a residential building in Kyiv rose to 24 on Friday, including three children, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. A further 48 people, among them two children, were reported injured when a cruise missile hit a nine-storey corner block in the Ukrainian capital.
Ukraine’s air force described the assault as Russia’s largest barrage against the country since the full-scale invasion began. The strike on the apartment building was the deadliest single incident of an attack that unfolded across multiple cities.
The wider bombardment began on May 13, when Russian forces launched at least 800 drones in successive waves alongside cruise and ballistic missiles, targeting critical and civilian infrastructure as far west as regions near the Polish border. At least 14 people were killed and more than 80 injured in that phase of the attack.
Kyiv observed an official day of mourning on Friday for those killed. Flags were lowered and entertainment events suspended across the city as rescue teams completed the search of the destroyed block.
Zelenskyy said the cruise missile recovered from the site had been manufactured in the second quarter of 2026, evidence, he argued, that Russia continues to import components for missile production in defiance of international sanctions. He said he had instructed the military to prepare a response.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the renewed strikes on the capital showed Moscow was "banking on escalation rather than negotiation," adding to European warnings that Russia is not seeking a settlement. The attack came as diplomatic channels over the war remained stalled.