Ukraine faced its heaviest overnight drone attack since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia launched 805 drones and 13 missiles, targeting multiple regions. Ukrainian air defense units intercepted 751 drones and four missiles, but several managed to hit their targets.
The attacks struck Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih, Odesa, and parts of Sumy and Chernihiv, causing widespread destruction.
Kyiv Government Building Hit for First Time
For the first time since the war began, Kyiv’s main government building was struck. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko called it a “symbolic blow” to one of the city’s most protected areas.
Shortly after sunrise, witnesses saw thick smoke rising from the burning top floor of the building, located in Kyiv’s historic Pecherskyi district.
Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, confirmed that rescuers recovered an infant’s body from a damaged apartment block in the Darnytskyi district. A young woman also died in the same strike.
Casualties and Damage Across Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strikes killed four people and caused extensive damage across northern, southern, and eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine’s interior ministry reported that more than 20 people were injured in Kyiv alone. Air raid alerts in the capital and surrounding regions lasted over 11 hours, underscoring the scale of the assault.
In Kremenchuk, central Ukraine, dozens of explosions cut power to parts of the city and damaged a bridge over the Dnipro River, Mayor Vitalii Maletskyi announced on Telegram.
Zelenskyy Condemns Russia and Urges Stronger Air Defenses
Zelenskyy condemned the strikes as deliberate acts meant to prolong the war. He said on X, “Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have already begun long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war.”
He once again urged Ukraine’s allies to strengthen the country’s air defenses to prevent further casualties and destruction.
Since last night, work has been ongoing to eliminate the consequences of Russian strikes – more than 800 drones, 13 missiles, including 4 ballistic. According to preliminary information, several drones crossed the border of Ukraine and Belarus.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 7, 2025
In Kyiv, ordinary residential… pic.twitter.com/CefQOopLtD
International Reactions
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk criticized the global response, saying on X that the strike proved “again that the continued delaying of a strong reaction against Putin and the attempts to appease him made no sense.”
The Russian defense ministry, via TASS news agency, claimed the strikes were aimed at Ukraine’s military-industrial complex and transport infrastructure. Both Russia and Ukraine have denied deliberately targeting civilians.
In the United States, President Donald Trump called the strike “a horrible waste of humanity.” He added, “I’m not happy. I’m not happy about the whole situation… but I believe we’re going to get it settled.” Trump also indicated he was ready to escalate sanctions against Russia or its oil buyers, calling it a possible “second phase” of measures.
Ukraine Strikes Back
In response to the assault, Ukraine’s military confirmed it struck the Druzhba oil pipeline in Russia’s Bryansk region, causing “comprehensive fire damage.”
This pipeline is a key route for Russian oil exports, and its disruption could add economic pressure on Moscow.