Russia launched a major air attack early Thursday on Kyiv, including a rare strike on the city centre, that killed at least 18 people and injured 48 others, sparking backlash from different countries.
In the Ukraine attack, Russian missiles also damaged European Union diplomatic offices, authorities said. The bombardment, involving drones and missiles, marked the first significant Russian assault on Kyiv in weeks as US-led peace efforts to end the three-year war struggled to gain traction.
Ukraine on Thursday requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the overnight bombardment, while two of Ukraine’s top envoys were set to meet Friday with the Trump administration regarding mediation.
After the attack, Russia insisted it was "still interested" in diplomacy, but would continue to launch strikes on Ukraine following an overnight attack on Kyiv that killed at least 14 people.
"The Russian armed forces are fulfilling their tasks," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in response to a question by AFP. "They continue to strike military and military-adjacent infrastructure facilities.
"At the same time, Russia remains interested in continuing the negotiation process. The aim is to achieve our goals through political and diplomatic means," he added.
'Egregious' Russian strikes threaten Trump peace plans: White House
Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine slammed Russian strikes on Kyiv, saying they threatened the US president's proposals to end the Ukraine war.
Keith Kellogg, on X, said that the targets were not soldiers and weapons but residential areas in Kyiv—blasting civilian trains, the EU & British mission council offices, and innocent civilians.
"Last night Russia launched the second largest aerial attack of the war with 600 drones and 31 missiles. The targets? Not soldiers and weapons but residential areas in Kyiv—blasting civilian trains, the EU & British mission council offices, and innocent civilians. These egregious attacks threaten the peace that @POTUS is pursuing," he said.
Russia showed its true face: German chancellor
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Thursday that "Russia showed its true face" in its latest overnight attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv
In a post on X, Merz said that he condemned the severe attacks against the civilian population in the strongest terms.
"Russia showed its true face again last night. We condemn the severe attacks against the civilian population in the strongest terms. The fact that the EU representation has now also come under fire testifies to the growing ruthlessness of the Russian regime," Merz said.
EU and UK summon Rssian envoys after strikes hit their buildings
European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen reported that two strikes landed 20 seconds apart approximately 50 metres from the EU Mission to Ukraine building in Kyiv. She confirmed that no staff were injured in the attack.
“No diplomatic mission should ever be a target. In response, we are summoning the Russian envoy in Brussels,” Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, stated on X.
The British Council, which promotes cultural relations and educational opportunities, also announced that its Kyiv office had been “severely damaged” in the attack and was closed to visitors until further notice. The organisation shared a photo showing the building with its windows and entrance smashed open, surrounded by glass and debris. A guard was injured and is “shaken but stable,” council chief executive Scott McDonald posted on X.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer commented that Russian President Vladimir
Putin was “sabotaging” hopes for peace following the “senseless” strikes. The Russian ambassador to London was summoned to the foreign office.
Diplomatic efforts to reach peace have stalled
Thursday's attack is the first major combined Russian mass drone and missile assault on Kyiv since U.S. President Donald Trump met with Putin in Alaska earlier this month to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.
“Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on X following the attack.
“We expect a response from everyone in the world who has called for peace but now more often stays silent rather than taking principled positions.” While a diplomatic push to end the war appeared to gain momentum shortly after that meeting, few details have emerged about the next steps. Western leaders have accused Putin of stalling peace efforts and avoiding serious negotiations while Russian troops advance deeper into Ukraine.
This week, Ukrainian military leaders acknowledged that Russian forces have entered an eighth region of Ukraine in an effort to capture more territory. Zelenskyy expressed hope for stricter U.S. sanctions to cripple the Russian economy if Putin does not demonstrate sincerity in ending the war. He reiterated these demands following Thursday's attack.
Trump expressed frustration this week at Putin’s delays regarding an American proposal for direct peace talks with Zelenskyy. On Friday, Trump stated he expects to decide on next steps in two weeks if direct talks are not arranged.
Russia says it targeted 'military-industrial complex'
Russia’s Defence Ministry announced that it conducted a strike against military air bases and companies “within Ukraine’s military-industrial complex” using long-range weapons, including Kinzhal missiles.
“All designated objects were hit,” the ministry stated. Ukraine has increased domestic arms production to counter Russia’s invasion. Many weapons factories operate covertly, with some embedded in civilian areas equipped with advanced air defences. Indiscriminate Russian attacks, purportedly targeting Ukraine’s defence industry, have resulted in numerous civilian casualties.
The Russian Defence Ministry also reported shooting down 102 Ukrainian drones overnight, primarily in the country’s southwest. A drone attack ignited a fire at the Afipsky oil refinery in the Krasnodar region, local officials said, while a second blaze was reported at the Novokuibyshevsk refinery in the Samara region. In recent weeks, Ukrainian drones have repeatedly targeted refineries and other oil infrastructure in an effort to weaken Russia’s war economy, leading to gas shortages and price increases in some Russian regions.
Ukraine’s national railway operator, Ukrzaliznytsia, reported damage to its infrastructure in the Vinnytsia and Kyiv regions, causing delays and necessitating the use of alternative routes for trains.