Kyiv witnessed devastating scenes overnight as one of the most intense Russian attacks in recent weeks hit the city. Kyiv came under heavy bombardment after Vladimir Putin threatened retaliation for strikes in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine.
The video circulating online shows a cruise missile striking central Kyiv. In the footage, a sudden flash of intense light can be seen at the moment of impact, followed by a powerful explosion.
Russia launched one of the largest air attacks of this war on Kyiv this morning.
More than 50 missiles and 700 drones were launched at the city.
This video shows a cruise missile hitting central Kyiv pic.twitter.com/D40DH3pWYE
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) May 24, 2026
Ukrainian officials said around 600 drones and 90 missiles were fired in the attack. Air defence systems managed to shoot down many of them, but not all, according to AFP.
A business centre and a nearby market close to the Lukianivska metro station were completely destroyed in the strike, according to Euromaidan Press. Among the damaged sites was a small café that had already been rebuilt and reopened six times after earlier Russian attacks.
Apocalyptic scenes. Kyiv suffered one of its greatest attacks this night
Russia completely destroyed a business center and a market near Lukianivska metro. Including the cafe that reopened six times after Russian strikes.
???? RFE/RL pic.twitter.com/3hhErC3LMI
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) May 24, 2026
Four people were killed in the attack, and dozens were injured. Homes, schools, markets and business buildings were damaged across the capital and other regions. Explosions were heard throughout the night in Kyiv. Residents rushed to metro stations and underground shelters for safety as missiles and drones struck the city.
Andrii Sybiha strongly criticised Russia on X, saying the attack was not about military targets but about harming civilians. He wrote that Russia carried out one of the largest overnight attacks on Kyiv and several other Ukrainian regions, including Cherkasy, Kharkiv, Kropyvnytskyi, Odesa, Poltava, Sumy and Zhytomyr.
Putin wanted to show “strength” but only confirmed his weakness.
Overnight, Russia carried out one of the largest terrorist attacks on Kyiv with around 600 drones, many dozens of ballistic, air-ballistic, and cruise missiles, and a dummy IRBM.
Cherkasy, Kharkiv, Kropyvnytskyi,… pic.twitter.com/jSV83n9FBP
— Andrii Sybiha ???????? (@andrii_sybiha) May 24, 2026
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia also used a powerful weapon called the Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile. The Oreshnik is a hypersonic missile capable of travelling at ten times the speed of sound and is designed to destroy underground bunkers located “three, four or more floors down.”
Russia first used the multiple-warhead Oreshnik on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro in November 2024. It was reportedly used a second time in January in the western Lviv region, according to AP News.
Zelenskyy strongly condemned the attack, saying it targeted ordinary civilians and civilian infrastructure, including markets, schools and water facilities.
Russia’s Defence Ministry on Sunday confirmed that it used the Oreshnik, along with other missile systems, to strike Ukrainian “military command and control facilities,” air bases and military-industrial enterprises, but did not specify the locations of the targets.
Russia said the attack was a “response” to Ukrainian strikes on Russian-controlled areas.