Russian Airstrike Hits Residential Areas in Kyiv, Claims Lives of Civilians and Child

A Russian missile and drone strike on Kyiv during the night of July 30–31 has left six people dead, including a six-year-old child, and injured at least 52 others, among them nine children and three police officers. The attack caused extensive destruction across four city districts and prompted a major emergency response that continued well into the morning.

According to Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s City Military Administration, fatalities were reported in both the Sviatoshynskyi and Solomianskyi districts - four people died in the former and two in the latter. Emergency crews remain on-site as search and rescue efforts continue, with the possibility that the number of victims may rise.

The strike caused significant damage in 27 separate locations throughout the capital. In Sviatoshynskyi, a section of a nine-story residential building collapsed after a direct missile hit. Search teams are still clearing debris in an effort to reach individuals believed to be trapped under the rubble. Fires also broke out at multiple sites, and dozens of cars were destroyed.

In Solomianskyi district, several apartment buildings were damaged and fires spread to adjacent non-residential properties. Holosiivskyi district also sustained damage to civilian infrastructure, including a school and a kindergarten. In Shevchenkivskyi district, the blast wave shattered windows at a medical facility’s children’s ward.

Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko reported that by the early hours of the morning, 20 people had been confirmed injured - eight of them requiring hospitalization. That figure quickly climbed, with 43 injuries reported around 07:00, 26 of whom were hospitalised. Shortly after, the toll rose again to 48 injured, then 52, including the police officers responding to emergency calls who were caught in the blast zone.

President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, sharing a video of the strike on social media and calling it a deliberate act of terrorism. He confirmed that a residential building had been directly targeted and that people were still trapped under the ruins.

At one point during the emergency operation, two individuals were successfully rescued from the debris. The body of one woman was also recovered. Officials noted that several streets in Kyiv were closed to traffic due to the damage and ongoing rescue operations.

Authorities continue to assess the situation and the full scope of the destruction. The overnight assault marks one of the most severe recent attacks on the capital, underscoring the persistent threat to civilian lives in Ukraine's urban centers.

Sources:

• RBC-Ukraine
• The Kyiv Independent
• Ukrainska Pravda