Thu Apr 24 16:32:59 UTC 2025: ## Russia Launches Deadliest Kyiv Assault in Months, Defying Peace Efforts

**Kyiv, Ukraine –** A massive Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv on April 24, 2025, killed at least 12 people and injured around 90, marking the deadliest assault on the Ukrainian capital in nine months. The hours-long barrage, which began around 1 a.m., hit at least five neighborhoods, heavily damaging residential buildings and leaving rescue workers searching through the rubble.

The attack, which involved 66 ballistic and cruise missiles, four air-to-surface missiles, and 145 Shahed drones, came as peace negotiations appeared to be reaching a critical juncture. The timing prompted a rare rebuke from U.S. President Donald Trump, who urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the attacks. Even President Trump, typically reluctant to criticize the Kremlin, called the attacks “not necessary, and very bad timing.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who cut short his trip to South Africa to return to Kyiv, described the attack as one of Russia’s “most outrageous.” He reiterated Ukraine’s refusal to cede occupied territories, stating that the future of negotiations depends on Russia’s willingness to cease hostilities.

The attack drew widespread international condemnation. The European Union’s foreign policy chief and several world leaders criticized Russia’s actions, highlighting the hypocrisy of claiming to seek peace while perpetrating such violence. Ukrainian officials emphasized that only strength and pressure will deter Russia’s aggression.

The attack underscored the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ukraine, with Russian attacks since the February 2022 invasion resulting in the deaths of approximately 13,000 civilians, including 618 children. Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko declared Friday a day of mourning. The UN condemned the attack as a violation of international humanitarian law. Amidst the devastation, harrowing accounts emerged from survivors, highlighting the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict.

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