Zelensky Slams 'Vile' Russian Attacks Killing Civilians in Kyiv

Mon Sep 29 2025 11:33:11 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned a prolonged Russian aerial bombardment that lasted over 12 hours, resulting in civilian casualties including children, and vowed a strong response.

In a brutal attack lasting over 12 hours, Russia has targeted Ukrainian cities, notably Kyiv, killing at least four people and injuring over 70, including children. President Zelensky condemned the violence as 'vile' and warned of Ukraine's retaliation while calling on Europe and the United States for a stronger response. This barrage included over 600 drones and missiles aimed at several regions of Ukraine, highlighting the ongoing conflict's escalating nature.

A Russian aerial bombardment that lasted more than 12 hours has killed at least four people and injured at least 70 others in Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the deaths all occurred in the capital, Kyiv, where many of the projectiles were aimed, and the victims included a 12-year-old girl.

The barrage - involving nearly 600 drones and several dozen missiles aimed at seven regions of Ukraine - is one of the heaviest in recent months.

Zelensky warned that Ukraine would retaliate and said the vile attack showed Moscow wants to continue fighting and killing. Russia said it struck military facilities and industrial enterprises supporting Ukraine's armed forces.

For Ukrainians, aerial bombardments can be both random and routine.

They tend to occur late on Saturday evenings - in this case, the first sirens were heard at 22:00 GMT.

The sound of anti-aircraft fire was punctuated with occasional explosions - presumably from the sound of an intercepted drone or one hitting its target.

Ukraine's Defence Minister Igor Klymenko said that at least 100 civilian sites had been damaged across the country by the attack, with entire neighbourhoods left in ruins.

Emergency services said an attack on Kyiv's Institute of Cardiology had killed a nurse and a patient.

A large bakery, an automobile rubber factory, as well as apartment buildings and civilian infrastructure were also targeted, Zelensky said.

He added that Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, and Odesa regions were also hit.

Zaporizhzhia's Governor Ivan Fedorov said 34 people had been injured in that region, including three children who were hospitalized.

Zelensky vowed that Ukraine will strike back in a bid to force diplomacy from Russia, and said he was counting on a strong reaction from Europe and the US.

This dastardly attack took place right after the end of the week of the UN General Assembly, signalling Russia's aggressive stance.

In addition to national attacks, Zelensky indicated that Russia's aerial threats were testing European air defenses.

Following these events, NATO and European nations have observed overflights of drones in their airspace, leading to increased military readiness in the region.

The ongoing bombardments underscore the persistent threat faced by Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia, calling for international attention and solidarity.

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