Russian missiles targeted Kyiv at sunrise on Friday, killing at least one person and causing damage to embassies and a university in the heart of the Ukrainian capital.
Later, Russian officials claimed that Kyiv had launched a deadly strike in the Kursk region, part of which is under Ukrainian occupation.
Moscow stated that its attack on Kyiv was a retaliation for a strike earlier in the week on a chemical plant in Russia, using Western missiles.
While Russia regularly targets Kyiv with aerial attacks, the city’s robust air defense system has typically minimized significant damage, nearly three years into the war. However, Friday’s assault still caused destruction.
“There were explosions after explosions in a row,” said 45-year-old Ksenia, who was staying at a hotel near the site of the damage.
Ukraine’s air force confirmed it had downed all five Iskander missiles launched at Kyiv, though falling debris damaged several districts. The strikes killed a 53-year-old man and injured 13 others, many with shrapnel wounds, according to city officials.
The attack also damaged several diplomatic buildings, including those housing the embassies of Argentina, Palestine, North Macedonia, Portugal, and Montenegro, as well as Albania’s diplomatic mission, the Ukrainian foreign ministry reported.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the attack, stating, “Another heinous Russian attack against Kyiv… Putin’s disregard for international law reaches new heights.”
In response, the Portuguese government summoned the Russian charge d’affaires in Lisbon for a formal protest, as the Russian ambassador was absent.
“These are barbaric attacks on diplomatic institutions, crossing all red lines and international rules,” said Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson Georgiy Tykhy.
The Kyiv National Linguistics University confirmed its building was also hit, with photos showing shattered windows and debris scattered across the floor.
Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ignat stated that Ukrainian Patriot air-defense systems had intercepted the missiles. However, according to the think tank Defence Express, while most missiles were intercepted, one warhead exploded near a business center in central Kyiv.
Moscow claimed responsibility for the attack, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov explaining it was a response to strikes on Russian territory. “Every time, there will be a response,” he said, referencing previous Ukrainian attacks.
Later on Friday, Russia’s Investigative Committee reported that a Ukrainian strike had hit the town of Rylsk in Russia’s Kursk region, resulting in casualties.
Since August, Ukrainian forces have been operating within Russian territory, including in Kursk.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier suggested a “high-tech duel” involving a strike on Kyiv to demonstrate the effectiveness of Russia’s new hypersonic missile, Oreshnik, against air defenses.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Putin’s remarks, saying, “People are dying and he thinks it’s ‘interesting’… Dumbass.”
In addition to the attack on Kyiv, Russian strikes killed two people in Kherson, Ukraine’s southern city. “Kherson woke up to numerous strikes from the Russian army,” said Governor Oleksandr Prokudin. The shelling also knocked out power for 60,000 homes in the region, which has faced daily strikes since Ukraine liberated the city in November 2022.
Though Russian forces have been pushed back across the Dnipro River, Kherson remains within range of Russian artillery. A Russian sabotage group also attempted to cross the Dnipro but was unsuccessful during the shelling.
Meanwhile, Russian troops have resumed offensives in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the Donbas region, where they recently captured two small villages near Pokrovsk.