An explosion of a drone lights up the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 24, 2025. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
Russia Launches Massive Drone and Missile Assault on Kyiv as Ceasefire Talks Stall
KYIV, May 24 — Russia unleashed one of the most intense combined aerial assaults on Kyiv since the start of the war, launching dozens of drones and ballistic missiles overnight that injured at least 15 civilians and caused widespread damage across the Ukrainian capital. The attack comes amid renewed but fragile diplomatic efforts to initiate a ceasefire.
Ukrainian officials reported that six districts of Kyiv were struck, with apartment buildings damaged and debris scattered across residential streets. Photos captured the eerie glow of explosions lighting up the city, as plumes of smoke billowed from burning structures. According to emergency services, three people were hospitalized, including two children.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia fired 14 ballistic missiles and deployed over 250 long-range drones, with Kyiv as the primary target. The attack followed a series of Ukrainian drone strikes on targets inside Russia, including Moscow, which prompted a vow of retaliation by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy described it as a “tough night” and reiterated calls for stricter international sanctions against Russia, arguing that only added economic pressure would compel Moscow to agree to a ceasefire. “Russia is sending deadly drones and missiles at civilians,” Zelenskiy stated on social media, dismissing Russia’s stated interest in peace as insincere.
Civilians Caught in the Crossfire
Among those affected was 63-year-old Halyna Tatarchuk, who narrowly escaped injury when a drone hit her apartment building. “That saved us,” she said of her decision to shelter in a hallway with her husband. “I’d like Trump to see this… Can he really not see this?” she added, expressing frustration at what she views as insufficient U.S. pressure on Moscow.
In the aftermath, shattered glass, splintered trees, and damaged cars lined the streets. City crews worked through the morning to clear the rubble.
Diplomatic and Military Developments
The assault on Kyiv came just hours after Russia and Ukraine completed a large prisoner exchange, which former U.S. President Donald Trump, now in his second term, had cited as a potential breakthrough in peace efforts. Trump has called for direct ceasefire talks but has opposed a new European Union sanctions package against Russia, placing him at odds with many European leaders.
Despite Russia’s simultaneous statements in favor of diplomacy, no formal agreement has emerged. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Moscow has yet to provide a proposed peace memorandum and accused Russia of undermining its own overtures by continuing attacks on civilians.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed its forces had captured the settlements of Stupochki, Otradne, and Loknia in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk and northern Sumy regions. These claims have not been independently verified.
Russia continues to assert that a resolution must include recognition of its control over annexed Ukrainian territories and guarantees that Ukraine will not serve as a staging ground for Western military alliances.
Uncertain Path to Peace
The renewed escalation in violence threatens to derail any momentum toward ceasefire negotiations. While the prisoner exchange offered a rare sign of cooperation, the airstrikes on Kyiv have reinforced Ukrainian skepticism of Russia’s intentions.
Zelenskiy and other Ukrainian officials have emphasized that credible peace talks must be accompanied by a halt to hostilities and a firm commitment from Russia to withdraw forces from occupied territories—conditions Moscow has so far refused to meet.
As international mediators weigh their next steps, the humanitarian toll of the conflict continues to mount, with civilians like Tatarchuk bearing the brunt of the violence while prospects for peace remain elusive.
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