Russia hits Ukraine with biggest air attack of war, sets government building ablaze

"President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the drone and missile barrage killed four people and caused damage across the north, south and east of the country, including the cities of Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih and Odesa, as well as in the Sumy and Chernihiv regions. "Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have already begun long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war," Zelenskiy said in a post on X, issuing a fresh appeal to allies to strengthen Ukrainian air defences."

"Just after sunrise, thick smoke could be seen rising into the clear blue sky from the burning top floor of the main government building, located in the historic Pecherskyi district, Reuters witnesses said. Elsewhere in Kyiv, residential apartments were hit and damaged, with dozens of residents wrapped in blankets gathering on the streets outside to survey the damage to their homes as rescue workers fought to extinguish the flames."

"The attack underlined growing pessimism in Ukraine and among allies that the war can be ended any time soon, with Russian President Vladimir Putin resisting calls for a ceasefire and emboldened by strengthening relations with China. U.S. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has expressed growing frustration with Moscow since he met Putin last month, but has so far resisted imposing tougher sanctions on Russia."

A drone and missile barrage struck across northern, southern and eastern Ukraine, killing four people and damaging infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih, Odesa, Sumy and Chernihiv regions. Kyiv's main government building in the Pecherskyi district caught fire, sending thick smoke into the sky. Residential apartments in Kyiv were also hit, forcing dozens of residents onto the streets as rescue workers fought flames. President Zelenskiy condemned the attacks as deliberate crimes and urged allies to bolster air defences. The strikes deepened pessimism about a near-term end to the war as Putin resists a ceasefire and strengthens ties with China, while Western leaders continue diplomatic coordination and debate further support.

Read at Irish Independent