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| Largest Russian air attack of war sets fire to Ukrainian cabinet building | Largest Russian air attack of war sets fire to Ukrainian cabinet building |
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| Officials say three people including mother and baby killed in strikes that also hit key government building for first time | Officials say three people including mother and baby killed in strikes that also hit key government building for first time |
| Russia has launched its largest ever air attack on Ukraine, hitting a key government building in Kyiv for the first time and killing at least three people, including a mother and her baby, and drawing widespread condemnation, including a fresh threat of further US sanctions. | Russia has launched its largest ever air attack on Ukraine, hitting a key government building in Kyiv for the first time and killing at least three people, including a mother and her baby, and drawing widespread condemnation, including a fresh threat of further US sanctions. |
| The bombardment of the capital with a large number of drones and missiles injured at least 18 people and set scores of buildings on fire. Explosions were also reported in the cities of Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia and Kryvyi Rih. Authorities triggered a countrywide air-raid warning at 6.06am local time and later accused Russia of deliberately striking civilian targets. | The bombardment of the capital with a large number of drones and missiles injured at least 18 people and set scores of buildings on fire. Explosions were also reported in the cities of Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia and Kryvyi Rih. Authorities triggered a countrywide air-raid warning at 6.06am local time and later accused Russia of deliberately striking civilian targets. |
| The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, called the attack “a deliberate crime and prolongation of the war” when “real diplomacy could have already begun long ago”. | |
| The US president, Donald Trump, who met the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, for a summit in Alaska last month, said without elaboration in response to questioning on Sunday that he was ready to move to a second stage of sanctions against Russia over the conflict. Trump has threatened to penalise countries that buy Russia’s oil, but has so far only hit India with so-called secondary sanctions and stepped back from previous warnings of tougher financial action against Moscow. | The US president, Donald Trump, who met the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, for a summit in Alaska last month, said without elaboration in response to questioning on Sunday that he was ready to move to a second stage of sanctions against Russia over the conflict. Trump has threatened to penalise countries that buy Russia’s oil, but has so far only hit India with so-called secondary sanctions and stepped back from previous warnings of tougher financial action against Moscow. |
| The Ukrainian air force said 805 combat drones were deployed by Moscow, as well as nine Iskander-K cruise missiles and four Iskander-M ballistic missiles. Of these, four cruise missiles and 747 drones were intercepted by Ukrainian forces, authorities said. | The Ukrainian air force said 805 combat drones were deployed by Moscow, as well as nine Iskander-K cruise missiles and four Iskander-M ballistic missiles. Of these, four cruise missiles and 747 drones were intercepted by Ukrainian forces, authorities said. |
| Smoke was seen billowing from the roof of the Kyiv building that houses the offices of Ukraine’s cabinet ministers, as firefighters fought flames pouring out of an upper storey, although it was not immediately clear whether the fire was the result of debris or a direct hit, which would mark an escalation in Russia’s air campaign. Government buildings in the city centre have previously not been targeted by Russia. | Smoke was seen billowing from the roof of the Kyiv building that houses the offices of Ukraine’s cabinet ministers, as firefighters fought flames pouring out of an upper storey, although it was not immediately clear whether the fire was the result of debris or a direct hit, which would mark an escalation in Russia’s air campaign. Government buildings in the city centre have previously not been targeted by Russia. |
| “For the first time, the government building was damaged by an enemy attack, including the roof and upper floors,” said Ukraine’s prime minister, Yulia Svyrydenko. “We will restore the buildings, but lost lives cannot be returned.” | “For the first time, the government building was damaged by an enemy attack, including the roof and upper floors,” said Ukraine’s prime minister, Yulia Svyrydenko. “We will restore the buildings, but lost lives cannot be returned.” |
| She urged the world to react to the destruction and said the pressure of sanctions must be increased, especially against Russian oil and gas. | She urged the world to react to the destruction and said the pressure of sanctions must be increased, especially against Russian oil and gas. |
| Zelenskyy said he had spoken to his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, after the strike. “We coordinated our diplomatic efforts, next steps, and contacts with partners to ensure an appropriate response,” Zelenskyy said on the Telegram app. | Zelenskyy said he had spoken to his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, after the strike. “We coordinated our diplomatic efforts, next steps, and contacts with partners to ensure an appropriate response,” Zelenskyy said on the Telegram app. |
| The British prime minister, Keir Starmer, condemned Russia’s onslaught. He called the attacks “cowardly” and said they proved that Putin was “not serious about peace”. | The British prime minister, Keir Starmer, condemned Russia’s onslaught. He called the attacks “cowardly” and said they proved that Putin was “not serious about peace”. |
| The US Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, said before Trump’s comments on sanctions that Washington was prepared to “increase pressure” on Russia, but that Europe must also act. “If the US and the EU can come in to more sanctions, secondary tariffs on the countries that buy Russian oil, the Russian economy will be in full collapse,” he told NBC’s Meet the Press. | The US Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, said before Trump’s comments on sanctions that Washington was prepared to “increase pressure” on Russia, but that Europe must also act. “If the US and the EU can come in to more sanctions, secondary tariffs on the countries that buy Russian oil, the Russian economy will be in full collapse,” he told NBC’s Meet the Press. |
| Sunday’s attack was the largest Russian drone strike since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with nine missile hits and 56 drone strikes in 37 locations across Ukraine. Debris from shot-down drones and missiles fell on eight locations. | Sunday’s attack was the largest Russian drone strike since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with nine missile hits and 56 drone strikes in 37 locations across Ukraine. Debris from shot-down drones and missiles fell on eight locations. |
| Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said early on Sunday the drone attacks had killed an infant and a young woman, while a pregnant woman was among the five injured who were admitted to hospital. | Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said early on Sunday the drone attacks had killed an infant and a young woman, while a pregnant woman was among the five injured who were admitted to hospital. |
| Later in the day, it emerged that the mother and her baby had been killed after they were thrown on to the street by a pressure wave caused by a drone explosion in Kyiv, according to the Kyiv Independent. | Later in the day, it emerged that the mother and her baby had been killed after they were thrown on to the street by a pressure wave caused by a drone explosion in Kyiv, according to the Kyiv Independent. |
| Klitschko said an elderly woman had died in a bomb shelter in the Darnytskyi district to the east of the Dnipro River. | Klitschko said an elderly woman had died in a bomb shelter in the Darnytskyi district to the east of the Dnipro River. |
| Locals were left stunned by the attacks, emerging from their homes on to the streets in the early hours of Sunday to watch as firefighters fought the blazes and searched buildings for victims with thermal cameras. They reported a large amount of falling debris from damaged buildings, including glass and window blinds. | Locals were left stunned by the attacks, emerging from their homes on to the streets in the early hours of Sunday to watch as firefighters fought the blazes and searched buildings for victims with thermal cameras. They reported a large amount of falling debris from damaged buildings, including glass and window blinds. |
| In the western district of Sviatoshynskyi, several floors of a nine-storey residential building were partly destroyed, Klitschko and emergency officials said. | In the western district of Sviatoshynskyi, several floors of a nine-storey residential building were partly destroyed, Klitschko and emergency officials said. |
| Falling drone debris set off fires in a 16-storey apartment building and two other buildings, the mayor added. | Falling drone debris set off fires in a 16-storey apartment building and two other buildings, the mayor added. |
| Smoke billowed out of apartment buildings, some with floors partly collapsed and facades crumbled, in social media photographs posted by emergency officials. | Smoke billowed out of apartment buildings, some with floors partly collapsed and facades crumbled, in social media photographs posted by emergency officials. |
| Russia was “deliberately and consciously striking civilian targets”, the head of the capital’s military administration, Timur Tkachenko, said on Telegram. | Russia was “deliberately and consciously striking civilian targets”, the head of the capital’s military administration, Timur Tkachenko, said on Telegram. |
| Dozens of explosions also shook Ukraine’s central city of Kremenchuk, cutting power to some areas, its mayor, Vitalii Maletskyi, said on Telegram. Russian strikes on Kryvyi Rih in the same region targeted transport and urban infrastructure, Oleksandr Vilkul, the head of the military administration, said on Telegram, but with no injuries reported. | Dozens of explosions also shook Ukraine’s central city of Kremenchuk, cutting power to some areas, its mayor, Vitalii Maletskyi, said on Telegram. Russian strikes on Kryvyi Rih in the same region targeted transport and urban infrastructure, Oleksandr Vilkul, the head of the military administration, said on Telegram, but with no injuries reported. |
| In the southern city of Odesa, civilian infrastructure and residential buildings were damaged, with fires breaking out in several apartment blocks, the regional governor, Oleh Kiper, said on Telegram. | In the southern city of Odesa, civilian infrastructure and residential buildings were damaged, with fires breaking out in several apartment blocks, the regional governor, Oleh Kiper, said on Telegram. |
| One person was killed in an attack on the north-eastern region of Sumy, according to local authorities. An attack on Saturday on the outskirts of the village of Putyvl also resulted in injuries including of a nine-year-old child, the region’s military governor, Oleh Hryhorov, said on Telegram. | One person was killed in an attack on the north-eastern region of Sumy, according to local authorities. An attack on Saturday on the outskirts of the village of Putyvl also resulted in injuries including of a nine-year-old child, the region’s military governor, Oleh Hryhorov, said on Telegram. |
| In Zaporizhzhia in south-eastern Ukraine, at least 15 people were injured in a drone strike, some of whom had to be hospitalised, said Ivan Fedorov, the head of the region’s military administration. He published photos of residential buildings that had been destroyed. | In Zaporizhzhia in south-eastern Ukraine, at least 15 people were injured in a drone strike, some of whom had to be hospitalised, said Ivan Fedorov, the head of the region’s military administration. He published photos of residential buildings that had been destroyed. |
| According to Russian sources, a Ukrainian drone strike led to a fire at the Ilsky oil refinery in the Krasnodar region, in the south, which was quickly extinguished, according to a regional administrator. The reports could not be independently verified. | According to Russian sources, a Ukrainian drone strike led to a fire at the Ilsky oil refinery in the Krasnodar region, in the south, which was quickly extinguished, according to a regional administrator. The reports could not be independently verified. |