Russia carried out a prolonged overnight attack across Ukraine on Saturday, striking the capital city of Kyiv and several regions in one of the largest aerial assaults in recent months. Ukrainian officials said the bombardment lasted nearly ten hours and involved dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones, killing at least three people and injuring dozens more.
The assault began shortly before midnight and continued until mid-morning. Local authorities in Kyiv reported widespread damage, fires, and casualties across multiple districts. Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that two people were killed and at least 29 others were wounded in the capital. President Volodymyr Zelensky later said the national death toll had risen to three.
In Kyiv and the region, our emergency services are working at the sites of the Russian strikes. The Russians have launched about 36 missiles and almost 600 drones against ordinary life. The main targets of the attack were energy infrastructure and civilian facilities, with… pic.twitter.com/JCIyUfU27v
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 29, 2025
Ukrainian emergency services worked through the morning to extinguish fires and rescue residents trapped in damaged buildings. Thick smoke and debris covered several neighborhoods as crews attempted to restore order after hours of strikes.
According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia launched 36 missiles and 596 attack drones during the assault, targeting energy systems and other civilian infrastructure. Officials said the Kyiv region was hit hardest, with repeated waves of drones and missiles forcing residents to shelter for much of the night.
The attack left more than 600,000 consumers without electricity in Kyiv and surrounding areas. Ukraine’s energy ministry said repair crews were working to restore power but warned that damage to key infrastructure could cause prolonged outages.
The assault came as officials in the Trump administration were preparing for diplomatic meetings with Ukrainian and Russian representatives, part of a renewed effort to negotiate an end to the war. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha suggested that the timing of the strikes underscored Russia’s unwillingness to scale back its military campaign.
In a statement posted on X, Mr. Sybiha wrote that while global discussions focused on peace initiatives, Russia continued to follow a strategy to kill and destroy. Ukrainian officials said the attack demonstrated the need for stronger air defense systems and renewed international support as winter approaches.
Russia did not immediately comment on the strikes.
The diplomatic meetings are expected to take place in the coming days, though it remains unclear whether the latest assault will affect the pace or tone of the negotiations.
