‘We will rebuild’: Ukrainians defiant after Russia ‘unleashes hell’ on Kyiv, with deadly strikes killing 30
We will rise up and rebuild,” was the defiant message from Ukrainians after Russia unleashed one of the biggest attacks of the war on the capital Kyiv, leaving at least 30 dead, 91 hurt and 130 buildings damaged.
The EU ambassador to Ukraine said that “Russia unleashed hell on Kyiv” in the overnight attack, with 74 missiles and 496 drones launched, according to the Ukrainian air force. Foreign minister Andrii Sybiha described the assault as a “night of horror”.
The attack caused the widest destruction in Kyiv so far this year, and was the deadliest since at least May, when 24 people were killed in a strike that brought down an apartment block. Footage and images from the city showed widespread destruction as residents were left picking up the pieces.
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Kyiv citizens told The Independent they were left in shock after the latest assault from Vladimir Putin’s forces, which Moscow said was launched in retaliation for Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia.
Kashtanchik kindergarten, which serves around 70 local children aged between two and six, was one of the scores of buildings hit in the onslaught.
Director Tetiana Konovalchuk, who has run the nursery for 26 years, said when the explosions woke her before dawn, she rushed the 500 metres from her home to inspect the damage.
Asked whether she felt anger after another attack had damaged the kindergarten – it was also hit last year – she paused, looked away and fought back tears.
“I will only say that we will rise up and rebuild,” the 49-year-old replied.
As workers hurled shattered window frames onto the pavement below, she shouted warnings to those walking past to avoid being struck by falling debris.
Before long, another air raid siren echoed across the district, followed by two more within the hour, briefly interrupting the clean-up.
President Volodymyr Zelensky cut short a visit to Ireland on Wednesday evening and had warned Ukrainians that a major attack was imminent.
“The main strike was directed at Kyiv. Air defence supplies for Ukraine are an absolute and critical priority,” he said, urging Ukraine’s allies to maintain contributions to a fund to buy US weapons, including Patriot air defence missiles for Ukraine.
The multiple waves of strikes, which began shortly after 2am on Thursday, destroyed apartment buildings and sent plumes of black smoke over the capital that lingered well into the morning. In the city centre, a hotel was set ablaze, its upper storeys burning for hours after the impact.
