Russian forces launched a second deadly aerial assault on Kyiv within 24 hours, striking residential high-rises overnight and killing at least three people while injuring dozens, including children, as Ukraine’s president urgently appealed for enhanced air defenses from Western allies.
The attack unfolded in the early hours of October 26, 2025, when more than 100 Russian drones targeted the Ukrainian capital. Two high-rise apartment buildings in the Desnianskyi and Obolonskyi districts were directly hit, causing severe structural damage and igniting fires that demanded a large-scale emergency response from firefighters and police.
Ukrainian officials confirmed three fatalities, including a 19-year-old girl and her 46-year-old mother, with at least 29 people wounded. Among the injured were seven children, some as young as four years old, highlighting the attack’s impact on vulnerable civilians and ordinary residential areas.
Emergency crews worked tirelessly through the night, rescuing 13 people from the upper floors of a burning nine-story building in the Desnianskyi district. In the Obolonskyi district, a 16-story high-rise suffered shattered windows from the first to ninth floors, though no fire broke out there, allowing for rapid damage assessment and stabilization efforts.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strikes, emphasizing that Russian forces are deliberately targeting civilian life and children. He renewed calls for more Patriot missile defense systems, noting that Ukraine faces a critical shortfall in air defenses amid sustained Russian barrages of drones, guided bombs, and missiles.
This incident is part of an intensified Russian aerial campaign, with nearly 1,200 drones launched against Ukraine in the past week alone. The repeated attacks on Kyiv and other regions underscore Moscow’s strategy to weaken Ukrainian morale and infrastructure ahead of winter, exploiting gaps in the country’s defensive capabilities.
On the diplomatic front, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed disappointment over stalled peace efforts, canceling a planned summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump stated that while he maintains a good relationship with Putin, he will not schedule further meetings until a viable deal seems achievable, reflecting growing frustration with Russian conditions for ending the war.
Despite the violence, diplomatic channels remain open, with a senior Russian envoy suggesting that Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. are nearing a potential solution, citing Zelensky’s willingness to discuss current battle lines. However, with civilian casualties mounting, the immediate priority is strengthening Ukraine’s defenses to prevent further loss of life.