While the world looks elsewhere, Russia brings war to Kyiv’s doorstep

At least 10 people were killed and dozens more injured after Russia launched a massive overnight drone and missile attack on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and nearby regions, Ukrainian officials confirmed on Monday, June 23, 2025.

The strikes, described by authorities as one of the largest assaults on the capital this year, hit residential neighborhoods, hospitals, and metro station entrances used as bomb shelters.

The attack damaged six of Kyiv’s 10 districts, with entire sections of apartment buildings reduced to rubble.

“This was another massive strike on the capital. Several waves of enemy drones,” said Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration.

“Russia continues its familiar tactic: hit where civilians are.”

Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia fired 352 drones and decoys, along with 11 ballistic missiles and five cruise missiles.

Most were intercepted or jammed, preventing even greater destruction.

Still, the sheer scale and intensity of the attack rattled residents and authorities alike.

Civilians Under Fire

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said several fatalities occurred in Kyiv’s Shevchenkivskyi district, where a high-rise apartment entrance was completely destroyed.

Emergency crews continue to search for survivors beneath the debris.

A separate drone strike late Sunday in the Chernihiv region killed two people and injured 10, including three children.

Another strike on the town of Bila Tserkva, southwest of Kyiv, left one dead and eight wounded.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks, suggesting Russia may have used North Korean missiles in the latest barrage.

He labeled the growing military cooperation between Russia, North Korea, and Iran as a “coalition of murderers.”

Zelensky warned that their joint aggression could spread beyond Ukraine’s borders if not checked.

“The terror they unleash will not stop in Ukraine.

“It will grow if the world stays silent,” Zelenskyy warned.

Moscow Denies Targeting Civilians

In response, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said the strikes were aimed at military-industrial targets in the Kyiv region.

Moscow continues to insist it avoids civilian areas, despite mounting evidence and widespread international condemnation.

Since the start of the war in February 2022, thousands of Ukrainian civilians have died, and entire towns have been leveled.

Ukrainian officials argue that civilian infrastructure has become a deliberate target in Russia’s strategy to cripple morale and break resistance.

Just last week, Russia launched its deadliest attack on Kyiv to date, killing 28 people and injuring over 150 as waves of drones and missiles pounded nearly 30 sites across the city.

Ukraine Promises Retaliation

Ukraine’s top commander, General Oleksandr Syrskii, said the country will ramp up its military response.

He emphasized that simply defending against Russia’s relentless assaults is no longer enough.

“We will not just sit in defence. That leads to more losses and more retreats,” Syrskii said.

“We will increase the scale and depth of our strikes against Russian military targets.”

Ukraine’s air force reported that another 47 drones and three missiles were launched by Russian forces on Sunday night alone.

Meanwhile, Kyiv accuses Moscow of deliberately stalling peace talks.

This is especially those floated by U.S. President Donald Trump, as part of a broader strategy to prolong its invasion and seize more Ukrainian territory.

Global Distraction and Strategic Timing

The timing of the attack is also raising eyebrows internationally.

It comes just days after the United States joined Israel’s escalating military campaign against Iran, a move that has diverted global attention and media coverage.

Observers say Russia may be exploiting the shift in focus, stepping up attacks while world powers are preoccupied with the worsening Middle East conflict.

Amid rising global tensions, from the Persian Gulf to Eastern Europe, the devastating strike on Kyiv is a stark reminder that Ukraine’s war is far from over.

And with a growing alliance of authoritarian powers – Russia, Iran, and North Korea, pushing back against Western influence, the possibility of wider regional or even global conflict looms ever larger.

As Ukraine digs through rubble and counts its dead, the world watches anxiously, wondering how many fronts it can afford to fight at once.

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