The war between Ukraine and Russia reached a new and dangerous phase on Sunday after Russian forces launched a devastating strike on central Kyiv, directly hitting government buildings for the first time since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. The attack targeted Ukraine’s cabinet offices in the Pecherskyi district, setting parts of the structure ablaze and killing at least three civilians, including a one-year-old child. Ukrainian leaders described the assault as a major escalation, while vowing to retaliate and urging Western allies to move beyond statements of support toward tougher sanctions and concrete military assistance.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko confirmed that the strike had damaged the heart of Ukraine’s government. “For the first time, a government building was damaged by an enemy attack. We will restore the buildings, but lost lives cannot be returned,” she said in an emotional address. Svyrydenko pressed allies to tighten sanctions against Russia’s oil and gas sector, arguing that words of condemnation would not be enough in the face of such brutality.
The attack began with waves of drones followed by precision missile strikes. Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko reported that the barrage not only struck the cabinet building but also caused fires and structural damage in residential areas across the city. Among the dead were a baby, a young woman, and an elderly civilian who had sought shelter in a basement. A pregnant woman was among the injured, while fires ripped through high-rise buildings in the Sviatoshynskyi and Darnytskyi districts. Emergency crews worked overnight to extinguish blazes and rescue survivors.
Ukraine’s air force described the bombardment as one of the largest in months, saying Russia launched more than 800 drones alongside 13 missiles. Kyiv’s military administration accused Moscow of intentionally targeting civilians and critical infrastructure, a claim echoed by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who labeled the assault a “serious escalation.” He renewed appeals for advanced Western air defence systems, stressing that Ukraine’s ability to protect its capital was increasingly strained.
In swift retaliation, Ukraine struck back at Russian energy infrastructure. Drone units targeted the Druzhba oil pipeline in the Bryansk region, one of Moscow’s most important routes supplying Hungary and Slovakia with crude. Drone commander Robert Brovdi confirmed that Ukrainian forces had inflicted “comprehensive fire damage,” signaling Kyiv’s determination to hit Russia’s economic lifelines. The counterstrike fits into a wider strategy of degrading Russian energy exports, which continue to finance the war despite EU sanctions.
The overnight assault was not confined to Kyiv. In Kremenchuk, multiple explosions damaged power stations, plunging parts of the city into darkness. Kryvyi Rih, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown, reported missile strikes on transport and industrial facilities. In Odesa, residential buildings caught fire after being hit, while authorities in several other cities documented widespread destruction.
Moscow has yet to officially comment on the strike in Kyiv, though Russian state media claimed that air defence systems intercepted dozens of Ukrainian drones overnight. Both Russia and Ukraine deny targeting civilians, yet thousands have died as residential areas, power grids, and public buildings have repeatedly borne the brunt of attacks.
The escalation has alarmed Ukraine’s neighbors. Poland announced that it scrambled its own and NATO fighter jets overnight to secure its airspace during Russia’s mass drone and missile assault. The move highlighted how the war is increasingly threatening the wider region, even as Ukraine’s leaders call for more decisive international action to counter Moscow’s strikes on civilian and government targets.
