KYIV: Russian forces launched a massive, overnight drone and missile attack on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Thursday, killing at least ten people, including children, and forcing the evacuation of multiple neighborhoods.

The coordinated assault broke a two-week lull, causing widespread fires, destroying residential buildings, and hitting a central hotel and an ambulance station.

While Russia’s Ministry of Defence claimed it targeted energy and military infrastructure in retaliation for recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian power stations, Ukrainian officials condemned the deliberate bombardment of civilian areas.

The escalation prompted neighboring Poland to scramble fighter jets to secure its NATO-protected airspace.

This devastating air raid comes as heavy ground fighting continues, with Russian troops advancing toward the eastern stronghold of Kostyantynivka, while Ukrainian commanders report maintaining a net gain of recaptured territory this year.