Deadly Russian strikes hit Kyiv, killing at least 21

Kyiv came under heavy Russian air assault on August 28, with a rare strike on the city centre killing at least 21 people and damaging European Union diplomatic facilities.

Reports from the Associated Press highlighted the scale of the bombardment, which included missiles and drones, marking Kyiv’s first major attack in weeks. The strikes followed United States-backed peace talks earlier this month that aimed to end the three-year war but made little progress.

Ukraine called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council in response to one of the largest attacks since the start of the conflict. Two senior Ukrainian officials are also scheduled to meet with the U.S administration on August 29.

Ukraine’s military said Russia carried out a massive barrage of 598 drones and decoys together with 31 missiles, the majority aimed at Kyiv. Local authorities confirmed that four children were among those killed, while more than ten people may still be trapped beneath collapsed buildings. The bombardment struck 33 sites across the capital, including a shopping mall, damaging close to 100 structures.

In a statement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed outrage over the attack, saying, “This is why we are keeping maximum pressure on Russia.” She noted that two blasts struck just 50 meters from the EU Mission in Kyiv, with no staff injured. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned the attack and announced that the Russian envoy in Brussels would be summoned.

In London, Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused President Vladimir Putin of sabotaging peace talks. The Russian ambassador to the United Kingdom was summoned to the Foreign Office.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia had “chosen missiles over negotiations” and urged world leaders to take stronger positions rather than remain silent. He also renewed calls for harsher U.S sanctions designed to cripple Russia’s economy unless Moscow demonstrates genuine commitment to peace.

This comes as reports of the United States approving an $825 million arms package for Ukraine that includes 3,350 extended-range missiles, GPS units and spare parts. The package also provides training support and is funded in part by NATO allies Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway.

The Kremlin maintained that it is still willing to engage in negotiations despite the attack, while Russia’s Defense Ministry stated the strikes targeted Ukraine’s “military-industrial complex” using long-range Kinzhal missiles. It also reported intercepting 102 Ukrainian drones overnight. Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones struck oil refineries in Russia’s Krasnodar and Samara regions, igniting fires and fuelling worries over energy shortages.

Associated Press, European Commission, Maghrebi.org