Kyiv rocked by deadly missile strike as Russia launches 132 drones and missiles overnight

A fresh wave of Russian missile and drone attacks targeted Ukraine overnight, killing at least one person and injuring several others in the capital, Kyiv. The strike occurred in the early hours of April 6, 2025, amid intensifying long-range assaults on urban and civilian infrastructure across the country. According to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, the incident resulted in fires breaking out in non-residential buildings, while an office complex suffered partial destruction. Three people were reported injured.

Ukraine’s Air Force said that Russian forces had launched a combined total of 23 missiles and 109 strike drones during the night. Of these, 13 missiles and 40 drones were successfully intercepted by Ukrainian air defenses. An additional 53 drones were reportedly lost mid-flight, neutralizing their impact. However, the volume and geographic spread of the assault underscored the sustained pressure Ukrainian cities continue to face. The affected regions included Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, and Mykolaiv, each enduring varying degrees of infrastructural damage.

How has Ukraine responded to Russia’s intensifying air assault?

Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his top aide Andriy Yermak, expressed growing frustration at the persistence and scale of Russia’s aerial aggression. Yermak stated via Telegram that Russia has no intention of seeking peace and continues to escalate its offensive with deliberate intent to kill Ukrainian civilians. He emphasized that only a language of force will resonate with Russian President Vladimir Putin and called on Ukraine’s allies to adopt a firmer stance.

Zelenskyy, echoing similar sentiments, pointed out that diplomatic efforts have thus far failed to deter Moscow’s strategy. He described the missile barrage as a direct response from Putin to international negotiations and stated that the pressure on Russia remains inadequate. In his words, only amplified international sanctions and stronger deterrents can prevent further loss of civilian life. Zelenskyy stressed that the war cannot end without clearly identifying the aggressor and applying unrelenting pressure to force de-escalation.

What does this mean for ongoing ceasefire negotiations?

The missile strike in Kyiv comes at a time when both Ukraine and Russia had reportedly agreed to pause hostilities targeting critical energy infrastructure and maritime operations in the Black Sea. Brokered by international stakeholders, including the United States, the agreement was seen as a tentative step toward reducing the conflict’s most destabilizing elements. However, since the announcement of that truce, both sides have accused one another of breaching the terms.

This latest missile strike is likely to further undermine the credibility of the ceasefire efforts, particularly as it follows another major attack just days earlier. On April 4, a Russian ballistic missile and drone strike on Kryvyi Rih—Zelenskyy’s hometown—killed 19 people, including nine children. The tragedy provoked national mourning and international condemnation. The continued onslaught has made it increasingly difficult for peace talks to gain traction and has amplified calls for a revised international strategy that extends beyond containment and focuses on deterrence.

Why is Russia targeting Ukrainian cities with such intensity?

Russia’s use of mass missile and drone assaults against urban centers appears designed to maintain psychological and tactical pressure on Ukraine as the war grinds on into its third year. Military analysts suggest that these strikes aim to exhaust Ukraine’s air defense capabilities while creating widespread fear and disrupting civilian life and infrastructure. This strategy also aligns with the broader Russian approach of targeting logistical networks, power grids, and administrative hubs to weaken Ukraine’s operational capacity.

The aerial campaign is further complicated by the growing use of loitering munitions and low-cost drones, which can evade traditional radar systems and inflict localized damage with minimal financial investment. Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed its own territory was also targeted by Ukrainian drones overnight, reporting that 11 were shot down across three regions. This tit-for-tat escalation highlights the continued evolution of asymmetric warfare tactics, with both nations using long-range unmanned systems as part of broader strategic calculations.

How is the international community reacting to Russia’s renewed offensive?

The global response has been mixed, with Ukrainian officials increasingly vocal about what they perceive as weak international reaction, particularly from traditional allies. President Zelenskyy openly criticised the U.S. diplomatic response to the Kryvyi Rih tragedy, calling it insufficient in the face of such devastating loss. While Western countries have continued supplying military and humanitarian aid, Ukraine argues that a lack of more forceful countermeasures, including tighter sanctions and more advanced air defense systems, emboldens Moscow to continue its air campaign with impunity.

The recent attacks have prompted countries bordering the conflict zone to raise their alert levels. Poland, a NATO member sharing a border with Ukraine, placed its air force on high readiness following the Kyiv missile strike. This decision underscores the regional security risks tied to Russia’s expanding military footprint and the potential for miscalculation or escalation across borders.

How do these events fit into the broader historical context of the Russia-Ukraine war?

The war between Russia and Ukraine, which began with the annexation of Crimea in 2014, escalated dramatically in February 2022 with Moscow’s full-scale invasion. Since then, the conflict has evolved through several phases, including pitched ground battles, territorial occupation and reclamation, hybrid warfare, and intensive aerial bombardments.

Kyiv has been a frequent target throughout the conflict, both symbolically and strategically. As Ukraine’s capital, it represents the heart of the country’s political, economic, and cultural identity. Striking Kyiv sends a signal not only to Ukraine but also to its Western allies. Moscow’s strategy appears to be centered on creating instability and fear in urban centers, making everyday life unpredictable and dangerous for civilians.

The use of drones and missiles in large-scale, coordinated assaults has become a hallmark of the war’s later stages. These systems allow Russia to strike deep into Ukrainian territory without risking personnel, and they also stretch Ukraine’s finite supply of interceptor missiles and anti-aircraft equipment. According to Ukrainian estimates, Russia has used more than 1,460 guided aerial bombs, approximately 670 attack drones, and over 30 ballistic or cruise missiles within a week—a frequency that experts say is unsustainable without significant external support to replenish Ukrainian defenses.

What are the humanitarian implications of these continued attacks?

Beyond the immediate death tolls and physical destruction, Russia’s continued missile strikes have caused massive humanitarian strain across Ukraine. Repeated assaults on power grids, water supplies, and public infrastructure have disrupted access to essential services in many areas. In Kyiv, emergency response teams, including firefighters and medics, have been operating under constant threat, as shown in images released by Ukraine’s State Emergency Service after the April 6 strike.

The psychological toll on civilians—many of whom have lived under the constant threat of bombardment for over two years—cannot be overstated. The impact is particularly acute in cities like Kryvyi Rih and Kyiv, where families are grappling with grief while also trying to rebuild their lives amid frequent sirens and destruction. International aid groups have continued providing support, but supply chains remain vulnerable, and the long-term prospects for reconstruction are tied closely to the conflict’s trajectory.

As the war persists, Ukraine has called for additional sanctions targeting the Russian military-industrial complex and foreign entities supplying dual-use technologies. Officials argue that stopping the flow of components for drones and missiles is crucial to curbing future attacks.

How might this attack reshape the path to peace?

The April 6 missile strike on Kyiv has reinforced a grim reality: the diplomatic path to peace remains fraught with obstacles, especially when one side continues large-scale, civilian-targeted assaults. Ukrainian leadership has made it clear that peace cannot be achieved without accountability and concrete deterrence measures. The narrative emerging from Kyiv is one of resilience—but also of frustration with the perceived inadequacy of international responses.

If anything, the strike has hardened Ukraine’s resolve and may intensify pressure on global partners to rethink their strategies. Whether through new sanctions, enhanced military aid, or increased diplomatic isolation of Russia, the coming weeks will be critical in determining how the world chooses to respond to Moscow’s continued aggression.

Ultimately, the strike on Kyiv may mark another turning point in a war defined by its brutality, endurance, and profound geopolitical consequences. As both sides continue to test the limits of conventional and hybrid warfare, the cost of delay in securing a sustainable ceasefire grows heavier—both in lives lost and futures derailed.