Ukraine-Russia war latest: Children among 12 killed in ‘massive’ Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv

A two-year-old was among three children killed in Russia’s overnight strikes in Kyiv, according to Ukrainian authorities.

At least 12 people have been confirmed to have died following the deadly night of attacks, including three children aged 2, 14, and 17, said Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv’s city administration. The numbers are expected to rise.

President of the European Council António Costa said he has been left “horrified” by the drone and missile strikes in Kyiv.

In a post on X, he wrote that the EU building in Ukraine was damaged during the attacks.

“Horrified by yet another night of deadly Russian missile attacks on Ukraine,” he wrote.

“My thoughts are with the Ukrainian victims and also with the staff of @EUDelegationUA, whose building was damaged in this deliberate Russian strike.

“The EU will not be intimidated. Russia’s aggression only strengthens our resolve to stand with Ukraine and its people.”

Ten people are now believed to have been killed in Russia’s overnight attack on Kyiv, according to authorities.

The toll is believed to include two children.

Two children are now believed to have died in the overnight attack, according to Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko.

Authorities now say the strike killed at least eight people and wounded 45.

Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia’s president Putin of taking advantage of some countries looking away from the conflict to continue bombing Ukraine and killing children.

“We expect a reaction from China to what is going on. China has repeatedly called for not expanding the war and for a ceasefire. Yet this is not happening because of Russia. We expect a reaction from Hungary,” he said on X this morning after a massive attack on Kyiv killed eight.

“The death of children should definitely stir far greater emotions than anything else. 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,” he said.

He also said Russia has broken all deadlines and ruined dozens of opportunities for diplomacy.

“Russia must feel accountable for every strike, for every day of this war,” Zelensky said.

At least 30 people injured in the attack have been hospitalised, local authorities said.

Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed at least eight people, including a child, have died in the overnight Russian attack on Kyiv.

“Another massive attack against our cities and communities. Killings again. Tragically, at least 8 people have already been confirmed dead. One of them is a child,” said on X.

Zelensky said Russia is choosing ballistic missiles to hit Kyiv, instead of coming to the negotiating table.

“People may still be trapped under the rubble. Dozens are wounded. These Russian missiles and attack drones today are a clear response to everyone in the world who, for weeks and months, has been calling for a ceasefire and for real diplomacy. Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table,” he said.

A fire broke out at a unit of the Afipsky oil refinery in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region after a Ukrainian drone attack, local authorities said today.

It was not immediately clear what the extent of the damage was at the refinery.

The oil facility, together with the Krasnodar refinery, according to industry sources, processed 7.2 million metric tons of crude oil in 2024 and 3 million tons in January-June 2025.

The death toll in a mass Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv has risen to four, local officials said.

Among the dead were two children, interior minister Ihor Klymenko said, citing preliminary information. The numbers are expected to rise. Rescue teams were on site to pull people trapped underneath the rubble.

Thursday’s attack is the first major combined Russian mass drone and missile attack to strike Kyiv since US president Donald Trump met with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Alaska earlier this month to discuss ending the three-year war in Ukraine.

The Kyiv city administration’s head Tymur Tkachenko said Russia launched decoy drones, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles in this attack, hitting at least 20 locations across seven districts of Kyiv.

Nearly 100 buildings were damaged, including a shopping mall in the city centre, and thousands of windows were shattered, he said.

A five-story residential building in the Darnytskyi district was hit directly. “Everything is destroyed,” Tkachenko said. A strike in central Kyiv left a major road strewn with shattered glass.

Russia has been accused of being “disrespectful” to the peace process in its war with Ukraine, with the Government saying it is dragging its feet over talks.

Downing Street said Vladimir Putin was blatantly stalling progress, less than a fortnight since the Russian president met with US President Donald Trump in Alaska.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, along with European leaders, met Mr Trump in Washington days after the Alaska meeting to get an update on the talks.