In one of the most sustained aerial assaults in recent weeks, Russia launched a barrage of drone strikes on Ukraine&rsquo;s capital overnight, injuring at least 14 civilians and setting fire to multiple buildings, vehicles, and a medical facility, local officials said Friday morning.
The all-night attack lasted over eight hours, with air raid sirens sounding across Kyiv until 5 a.m. local time. Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that 12 of the injured were hospitalised and reported widespread destruction across six of the city&rsquo;s ten districts on both sides of the Dnipro River.
Drone debris reportedly ignited a fire at a medical facility in the Holosiivskyi district, while homes and railway infrastructure sustained damage across the capital. Ukraine&rsquo;s state railway operator, Ukrzaliznytsia, confirmed that the strikes disrupted services, causing delays and the diversion of several passenger trains.
&ldquo;This was not just another night of air raid sirens,&rdquo; said Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv&rsquo;s military administration. &ldquo;There were a great many targets over Kyiv. We are working to neutralize Russian drones in all districts.&rdquo;
Residents across the capital described hearing a relentless series of explosions as Ukrainian air defense systems attempted to intercept the drones.
The attack underscores a worrying intensification of Russia&rsquo;s air campaign on Kyiv, which has seen some of the deadliest strikes of the war in recent weeks. The full-scale Russian invasion, which began in February 2022, has led to the deaths of thousands of civilians &mdash; the vast majority of them Ukrainian &mdash; despite both sides denying that they target non-combatants.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to end the conflict remain stalled. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, admitted the call yielded &ldquo;no progress&rdquo; on ending the war. The Kremlin reiterated that it remains focused on addressing what it calls the conflict&rsquo;s &ldquo;root causes.&rdquo;
Kyiv officials also raised concern over Washington&rsquo;s recent decision to pause certain critical arms shipments, warning that the delay could weaken Ukraine&rsquo;s ability to defend against such intensified airstrikes and battlefield advances.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope for further dialogue with Trump regarding continued U.S. military support, particularly the delivery of vital weapons systems.
As Ukraine continues to weather near-daily attacks on its infrastructure and civilians, the overnight assault serves as yet another grim reminder of the escalating toll of the war and the urgent need for renewed international engagement.

Kyiv drone strikes injure 14, damage rail links

Overnight Russian attack hits 6 districts, sparks fires, disrupts trains in Ukraine's capital

Kyiv drone strikes injure 14, damage rail links

Overnight Russian attack hits 6 districts, sparks fires, disrupts trains in Ukraine's capital

July 4, 2025 | 15:42 IST