Tragic Drone Strike in Kyiv Claims Lives Amid Escalating Violence

Sat Nov 15 2025 15:52:34 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A Russian drone attack in Kyiv has resulted in multiple casualties as Ukraine faces increased strikes nationally. The incident underscores the ongoing conflict's brutal impact on civilians.

A devastating drone strike in eastern Kyiv has led to the deaths of six individuals and numerous injuries. This incident is part of a broader escalation in assaults across Ukraine, prompting retaliatory measures against Russian infrastructure. Ukrainian officials condemned the attacks as deliberate attempts to inflict harm on civilians and infrastructure, while rescue operations continued in affected areas.

A Russian drone has slammed into a block of flats in eastern Kyiv, killing six people and wounding dozens of others, amid a wave of strikes across the Ukrainian capital.

Emergency workers are currently sifting through the wreckage in the Lisovyi area, where one resident named Vita described the harrowing scene, stating that the drone had pierced the building and exploded on the other side.

In a counter-offensive, Ukraine has escalated its attacks on Russia’s oil infrastructure, launching drone strikes on one of the largest export terminals in Novorossiysk, located on the Black Sea coast. Reports indicate that fire broke out at the Sheskharis oil refinery, causing damage to a ship and a nearby block of flats.

Krasnodar governor Veniamin Kondratyev reported that three crew members and another man were injured in the attack, which significantly affected the main oil depot and a container terminal. Mayor Andrei Kravchenko announced a state of emergency, with oil exports reportedly suspended as a result.

President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine had employed long-range 'Long Neptune' cruise missiles in its attacks on Russia overnight, although details regarding specific targets remain undisclosed.

Zelensky condemned Russia's overnight assaults as vile and calculated, stating that a total of approximately 430 drones and 18 missiles were launched, inflicting damage on dozens of high-rise buildings.

In Kyiv, residential areas were under attack throughout nearly every district, prompting the head of the city’s military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, to issue a warning to residents to seek shelter shortly after midnight on Thursday.

According to the Kyiv fire service, the drone struck the seventh floor of the residential building, causing floors from the eighth down to the fourth to collapse due to the explosion. Witnesses have reported seeing multiple bodies being retrieved from the rubble.

Rescue efforts have successfully saved over 40 individuals, including 14 from ongoing residential fires, with emergency crews working diligently amidst the debris.

Moreover, officials noted that the energy infrastructure in Kyiv suffered considerable damage, leaving some buildings without heating. Witness accounts described the intense atmosphere during the assault, with Ukrainian MP Lisa Yasko stating, very often, there was the feeling that your bed was just shaking together with the windows.

Medical teams are on site to assist victims affected by the attacks, with ongoing reports of casualties, including one individual in extremely critical condition.

As the situation continues to evolve, Ukraine's air force has warned that drones and guided bombs are still targeting several regions, including Sumy. This latest attack follows the deaths of six people less than a week ago in a previous Russian offensive, highlighting the ongoing threat to civilian life.