Russia launches overnight missile and drone barrage on Kyiv

Russia launched a mass missile and drone attack on Kyiv overnight on 6–7 October, striking the Ukrainian capital hours before the 74th birthday of Vladimir Putin, who was born on 7 October 1952, the Kyiv Independent reported (developing report).

Journalists for the Kyiv Independent on the ground reported multiple explosions across the city at around 3:15am local time. Ukraine’s Air Force had earlier warned that several Russian Tu-95 bombers were approaching the border, while drones were reported heading for the capital at about 9pm on 6 October; the city’s air alert ran from 9:09pm to 9:58pm.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram that a strike had hit an unspecified “non-residential area” in the Obolon district, that warehouse facilities were hit in the Podil district, and that missile debris was burning in the Shevchenkivskyi and Darnytskyi districts. The full extent of the damage was not immediately clear.

Earlier on 6 October, President Volodymyr Zelensky had urged Ukrainians to take air alerts seriously, warning that Russia was preparing a large-scale attack and citing intelligence on the preparations.

The barrage followed a Russian attack on Kyiv the previous night, which damaged cars, and came after days in which Russian strikes targeted the capital’s key bridges. No casualty figures have been confirmed by named officials.