A barrage of Russian missiles and jet-powered drones struck central Kyiv and cities across Ukraine in broad daylight, killing multiple civilians and inflicting severe damage on vital research facilities and civilian infrastructure.
The daytime bombardment directly hit the historic headquarters of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, igniting massive fires and trapping staff inside their offices. Emergency responders rushed to the central district to rescue trapped personnel through upper-floor windows as thick plumes of black smoke drifted across the capital's skyline. Ukrainian officials confirmed that at least one person died inside the science complex and nearly twenty others were wounded, including a prominent academic leadership official.
Beyond the scientific institute, the daytime wave damaged a medical facility, private residences, commercial buildings, and several fueling stations throughout Kyiv. Air defense units struggled against the sudden onslaught due to Moscow's expanding use of high-speed, jet-propelled drones that travel significantly faster than earlier propeller-driven models. Ukrainian authorities reported that the increased velocity and sharp descent angles of these newer drones have noticeably lowered interception rates compared to previous months.
Similar aerial barrages struck regional hubs, including Dnipro, where an office center was hit, and Kharkiv, which suffered heavy glide-bomb strikes. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the targeted daylight devastation of non-military sites and renewed urgent pleas for Western partners to deliver advanced air defense systems. Ukrainian officials emphasized that the deliberate destruction of civilian and academic institutions constitutes a war crime designed to terrorize the urban populace.