Overview
- Ukrainian officials say a large combined Russian attack on the night of 23–24 May involved about 90 missiles and 600 attack drones with Kyiv as the main direction of strike.
- Ukraine's air forces reported radar detection of roughly 690 incoming assets and said air defences shot down or suppressed 55 missiles and 549 drones while dozens of strikes and debris still hit the capital and surrounding towns.
- The strikes caused significant civilian harm across Kyiv and the Kyiv region with multiple fatalities, scores injured, fires and damage to homes, cultural sites and public infrastructure, and emergency crews continue recovery work.
- Russia's defence and foreign ministries confirmed use of advanced systems including Oreshnik, Iskander, Kinzhal and Tsirkon, announced the start of 'systematic' sequential strikes on Kyiv's defence‑industry and command sites, and urged foreigners to leave the city.
- Claims about where missiles landed and how effective air defences were differ between Kyiv and Moscow, international leaders have condemned the attack, and officials in the EU and NATO have signalled plans to boost Ukraine's air‑defence support as the conflict escalates.