30 Killed in Russia's Largest-Ever Air Assault on Kyiv, Ukraine Vows Retaliation

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Kyiv: At least 30 people have been killed and 91 injured after Russia launched one of its largest aerial attacks on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, prompting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to vow retaliation and renew calls for stronger international support.

The overnight assault from Wednesday to Thursday involved hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles targeting Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine. Ukrainian officials described it as the most intense attack on the capital since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.

Ukraine's emergency services said the death toll rose to 30 after additional bodies were recovered from the rubble of residential buildings destroyed in the strikes. The attacks damaged apartment complexes, humanitarian facilities and buildings housing diplomatic missions.

President Zelensky visited one of the heavily damaged residential areas in Kyiv and said Ukraine would ‘definitely’ respond to the attack. He also renewed calls for additional air defence systems and urged the United States to approve licences that would allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot missile system components domestically.

According to Ukraine's air force, Russia launched 496 drones and 74 missiles during the assault, including ballistic missiles. Ukrainian forces said they intercepted most of the incoming projectiles.

The United Nations condemned the attacks, with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterating calls for an immediate ceasefire and stressing that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international humanitarian law.

The European Union also reacted strongly, with the bloc's top diplomat proposing additional sanctions against Russia following the attack.

Pic Credit: AFP