Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, was subjected to a major and devastating Russian drone and missile attack early Thursday, August 28, 2025, resulting in significant casualties and widespread destruction. Local authorities reported at least 18 people killed, including four children, and dozens more injured, with numbers expected to rise. The assault, part of Moscow's campaign to sow terror and chaos, involved a barrage of drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, with reports indicating an overwhelming attack of 629 missiles and drones.

The impact on the city was severe and extensive. A five-story residential building in the Darnytskyi district suffered a direct hit, with several floors reportedly collapsing, leading to "significant destruction." A strike in central Kyiv left a major road strewn with shattered glass. The attack affected over 20 locations across the capital, damaging nearly 100 buildings, including a shopping mall in the city centre, and shattering thousands of windows. Other damaged structures included a 16-storey building, a three-storey office, and a 25-storey building in the Dniprovskyi district. In the Shevchenkivskyi district, a residential building, an office, an educational institution, and two non-residential buildings sustained damage. Rescue teams were immediately on site, working to pull people trapped underneath the rubble amidst ongoing fires.

The wave of Russian strikes commenced around 9:30 pm local time on Wednesday, August 27, with air defences activated around midnight. The attacks continued relentlessly through the night and into Thursday morning, with new explosions heard around 5:30 am, even as rescue workers were still searching for victims from earlier ballistic missile strikes. This marked the first major combined Russian mass drone and missile strike to hit Kyiv since US President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska earlier in the month, a meeting aimed at discussing an end to Moscow's three-year war in Ukraine.

The international community reacted with outrage and condemnation. Notably, the shock wave from Russia's latest strike "severely" damaged the delegation of the European Union in Kyiv. EU Ambassador Katarina Mathernova announced the damage, stating that two Russian missiles had hit within 50 meters of the diplomatic building within 20 seconds. Speaking from Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her outrage, confirming no EU staff were harmed but calling the assault "another grim reminder of what is at stake." She asserted that "the Kremlin will stop at nothing to terrorise Ukraine, blindly killing civilians – men, women and children and even targeting the European Union." António Costa, President of the European Council, also expressed horror, reaffirming that "the EU will not be intimidated. Russia's aggression only strengthens our resolve to stand with Ukraine and its people." EU leaders, including France's Emmanuel Macron, Spain's Pedro Sánchez, Portugal's Luís Montenegro, and Lithuania's Gitanas Nausėda, joined in condemning the barrage. The Vienna Convention of 1961, which foresees protection for diplomatic premises, was implicitly challenged by this attack, highlighting the Kremlin's consistent disregard for international rules during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in response to the attack, reiterated his urgent call for harsher international sanctions against Russia. He emphasized that "all deadlines have already been broken, dozens of opportunities for diplomacy ruined," and urged the international community to ramp up pressure on Russia to engage in serious negotiations. High Representative Kaja Kallas echoed this sentiment, describing the assault as a "choice to escalate and mock the peace efforts" led by President Trump and backed by European allies. These peace talks are currently focused on designing security guarantees for Ukraine and securing a face-to-face meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin, which the latter appears keen to avoid.

In a tangible response, Ursula von der Leyen promised to tighten the screws on the Russian war machine with a 19th package of EU sanctions, to be presented "soon." Furthermore, she announced the bloc's commitment to explore new ways to mobilize Russia's frozen assets, estimated at €210 billion on EU soil, to finance Ukraine's defence capabilities and reconstruction efforts. Von der Leyen also plans an official trip to member states bordering Russia and Belarus, starting Friday, to express solidarity and discuss progress in building a strong European defence industry. She subsequently held separate phone calls with Presidents Zelenskyy and Trump, underscoring the ongoing diplomatic engagement following the devastating attack.