Three people were killed and six others injured in Kyiv after Russia launched a mass missile and drone attack across Ukraine overnight on Jan. 8-9.
Three of the wounded were hospitalized, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported.
Several neighborhoods in the capital were affected, including the Dniprovskyi and Darnytskyi districts. Authorities said residential buildings in the Pechersk and Desnianskyi districts sustained damage from drones and falling debris, and a fire reportedly broke out in the Shevchenkivsky district.
Explosions were first reported in Kyiv around 11:45 p.m. local time as air defense systems engaged aerial targets, according to local officials. Earlier, the air force had warned of a ballistic missile threat and reported drones heading toward the capital.
Another nationwide missile threat was issued around 2:13 a.m. local time after Ukraine's air force detected Russian fighter jets taking flight.
Additional cruise missile explosions rocked Kyiv at about 3:00 a.m. local time, a Kyiv Independent journalist on the ground reported as Russia continued its overnight attack.
Earlier in the night, Russia also launched a missile strike on Lviv, Ukraine's westernmost major city, targeting critical infrastructure, Mayor Andriy Sadovyi reported. The Ukrainian military reported that the missile—yet to be identified—was launched from the Kapustin Yar missile range in Russia's Astrakhan Oblast.
Kapustin Yar is a known launch site for Russia's Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM). Russia regularly uses close, and short-range ballistic missiles in aerial attacks against Ukraine, but IRBMs and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) are far larger, can be equipped with nuclear payloads, and are designed to hit targets at far longer ranges.
There has so far only been one confirmed use of Oreshnik when Russia used one to strike the eastern city of Dnipro in November 2024.
Earlier on Jan. 8, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia was planning a large-scale attack.
"There is information that another massive Russian attack may happen tonight. It is very important to pay attention to air alerts today and tomorrow and to always go to shelters. The Russians haven't changed one bit. They are trying to exploit the weather," Zelensky said.
Despite ongoing peace talks, Russia has continued its bombardment of Ukraine, frequently targeting energy infrastructure in an effort to plunge entire regions into darkness as Ukrainians endure freezing winter temperatures.
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