The death toll from a Russian missile strike that demolished a nine-story apartment building in Kyiv has risen to 28, as emergency workers continue to recover bodies from the rubble. The attack represents the deadliest assault on the Ukrainian capital this year.
The building, located in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district, suffered a direct hit resulting in its collapse.
According to authorities, 23 of the fatalities occurred within the apartment building, while the remaining five were reported elsewhere in the city.
On Wednesday, rescue workers employed cranes, excavators, and manual labor to sift through the debris, aided by sniffer dogs searching for any remaining victims.
The force of the explosion caused widespread damage, shattering windows and doors in nearby buildings.
The attack, which occurred overnight from Monday into Tuesday, was part of a broader assault. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia launched over 440 drones and 32 missiles in what he described as one of the largest bombardments of the war, now in its fourth year.
Russia has intensified its long-range attacks, targeting urban residential areas, as part of a summer offensive along parts of the 620-mile front line.
Meanwhile, US-led peace initiatives have struggled to gain momentum. Compounding the situation, global attention has shifted away from Ukraine’s appeals for increased diplomatic and economic pressure on Russia, due to tensions in the Middle East and US trade policies.
The US Embassy in Kyiv stated that the attack contradicts the Trump administration’s attempts to broker a settlement to end the conflict.
“This senseless attack runs counter to President Trump’s call to stop the killing and end the war,” the embassy posted on X.
Kyiv authorities declared an official day of mourning. Residents laid flowers at a playground across the street from the destroyed building as a sign of grief and remembrance.
