Early on Saturday, December 27, 2025, a massive Russian drone and missile barrage struck Kyiv and its suburbs, killing a 47-year-old woman, wounding two dozen people, and cutting off heating and electricity for hundreds of thousands in near-freezing temperatures.
Residents reported loud explosions and bright flashes that turned the night sky orange as an air alert lasted for several hours. Kyiv regional governor Mykola Kalashnyk confirmed the fatality and the scale of destruction.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the strikes, saying “Russia does not want to end the war.” He noted that around 500 drones and 40 missiles (including Kinzhal ballistic missiles and Shahed drones) pounded the capital.
Thousands Left in the Cold
Ukraine's air force issued a countrywide alert early Saturday as drones and missiles hovered over multiple regions. Ukraine's foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, wrote on X that “Russia's only response to peace efforts is brutal attacks using hundreds of drones and missiles.”
After the overnight strike, about one-third of Kyiv's 2.8 million residents are left without heating. Temperatures hovered around 0°C (32°F), and more than 2,600 residential buildings, 187 nurseries, and 138 schools have been affected.
The attack comes just before President Zelenskyy's meeting with US President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday to discuss a proposed plan to end the fighting that has claimed tens of thousands of lives since 2022. Russia has accused Zelenskyy and his EU backers of trying to “torpedo” the US-brokered plan.
As winter deepens, Kyiv faces growing hardship amid continued strikes, highlighting the urgent need for a lasting diplomatic solution ❄️🕊️
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Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv leave thousands without heat
cgtn.com
