Russia launched a massive combined drone and missile attack on Kyiv early Thursday, killing at least 30 civilians and wounding around 100, according to Ukrainian authorities. The assault, which the city’s mayor described as the most massive on the capital since the full-scale invasion, involved nearly 500 drones and over 70 missiles. It damaged 130 buildings, including residential blocks, a historic hotel, an ambulance station, and a Red Cross aid depot. A fuel depot fire triggered record air pollution levels, and the city declared a day of mourning.

The Russian Defence Ministry stated the strike was retaliation for Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and claimed to have targeted only military and energy facilities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had warned of an imminent attack while in Dublin, called the supply of air defence systems an “absolute priority” and said Kyiv was counting on US licences to produce Patriot anti-ballistic missiles. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, described the attack as “horrifying” and one of the deadliest on Kyiv since the invasion began.

The barrage ended a month-long period in which Russia had reduced the frequency of large-scale aerial assaults. According to the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War, Moscow may be stockpiling drones to conduct more powerful strikes at a time of its choosing. Defence experts in Stockholm concur, suggesting Russia deliberately limited attacks to build up reserves for high-impact operations designed to be visible and felt. An alternative explanation, that production shifts toward more complex jet-engine drones caused the lull, was deemed less likely by these analysts. Viewed from Buenos Aires, the attack is interpreted as a message to Europe, with commentators noting that several European nations are openly preparing for a potential wider conflict with Russia.

The attack came as Ukraine has intensified its own long-range drone campaign against Russian logistics in occupied Crimea, aiming to isolate the peninsula. Ahead of a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Ankara, the alliance announced that 70 billion euros in aid would be delivered to Ukraine by next year. Zelensky is pressing for accelerated implementation of agreements on anti-ballistic system production, while the US administration under President Trump has reiterated calls for an immediate end to the war. Search and debris clearance operations continue in Kyiv, and the death toll may rise further.