KYIV, Ukraine — May 24, 2026 : Russian forces carried out a large-scale overnight aerial attack on Ukraine between the evening of May 23 and the morning of May 24, launching a total of 690 aerial assets, including 90 missiles and 600 drones, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. Kyiv and the surrounding Kyiv region were identified as the primary targets of the assault, which resulted in casualties, widespread infrastructure damage, and emergency operations across multiple districts.
Large-Scale Missile and Drone Barrage
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that the attack began at approximately 18:00 on May 23 and involved a combination of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, hypersonic weapons, strike drones, loitering munitions, and decoy drones launched from multiple locations in Russia and Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories.
According to Ukrainian officials, Russia launched one intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) identified as an Oreshnik from the Kapustin Yar launch site in Russia’s Astrakhan region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the missile struck Bila Tserkva in the Kyiv region, describing it as the third known use of the multiple-warhead Oreshnik missile during the war.
The missile attack also included two Kh-47M2 Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles fired from Russia’s Lipetsk region, along with three 3M22 Zircon anti-ship hypersonic missiles launched from occupied Crimea and the Kursk region.
In addition, Russian forces launched 30 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles from the Bryansk and Kursk regions and occupied Crimea. Ukraine’s Air Force further reported the launch of 54 cruise missiles, including Kh-101, Iskander-K, and Kalibr variants, fired from the Vologda and Kursk regions, as well as from Russian naval platforms operating in the Black Sea.
Hundreds of Drones Deployed
Alongside the missile barrage, Russia launched 600 drones of various types, including Shahed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), Gerbera and Italmas drones, Banderol loitering munitions, and Parodiya decoy drones.
According to military officials, launch sites included Russia’s Bryansk, Kursk, Oryol, and Rostov regions, including the Millerovo area, as well as Primorsko-Akhtarsk in Krasnodar Krai and the Hvardiiske and Chauda bases in occupied Crimea.
Air Defense Response
Despite the scale of the assault, the Ukrainian Air Force stated that air defense systems and electronic warfare units destroyed or electronically suppressed 604 aerial targets.
The reported interceptions included:
- 11 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles
- 44 Kh-101, Iskander-K, and Kalibr cruise missiles
- 549 drones of various types
Military officials also reported that approximately 19 missiles failed to reach their intended targets due to electronic jamming and suppression measures.
Casualties and Damage in Kyiv
As of 11:00 a.m. on May 24, Ukrainian authorities confirmed that at least four people were killed and 65 injured across Kyiv and the surrounding Kyiv region, while later local updates indicated the number of injured had approached 100 as rescue efforts continued.
In Kyiv city, officials reported that two women aged 44 and 86 were killed. A total of 56 people were injured, including two children, with 30 hospitalized in city medical facilities. Authorities said three people remained in critical condition.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated that damage had been recorded in every district of the capital.
Authorities confirmed damage to at least 27 apartment buildings, a shopping mall, a business center, and local markets. Emergency services also reported that a school building caught fire while civilians were sheltering inside, while the Ukrainian National Chornobyl Museum in Kyiv’s Podil district and nearby civilian businesses sustained damage.
Damage Across Kyiv Region
In the wider Kyiv region, two additional people were killed and nine injured, according to regional authorities.
Officials reported damage and destruction affecting private homes, apartment buildings, a medical outpatient clinic, and a logistics center across the Vyshhorod, Brovary, Fastiv, and Bucha districts.
Regional governor Mykola Kalashnyk stated that emergency teams continued inspections, debris removal, and recovery operations throughout the affected areas.
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine released images showing damaged residential buildings, emergency response operations, and rescue personnel working in Kyiv following the overnight strikes.
Retaliation Context
The attack followed warnings issued by both the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv and President Zelenskyy regarding intelligence assessments indicating a possible combined Russian missile and drone strike.
Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that the operation was conducted in retaliation for a Ukrainian drone strike on the Russian-occupied town of Starobilsk in the Luhansk region between the night of May 21 and May 22.
According to Russian emergency services and occupation authorities, the Starobilsk strike hit a college dormitory, killing at least 18 people, primarily young women born between 2003 and 2008, and injuring 42 others. Ukrainian officials said the operation targeted a Russian drone unit stationed in the area.
Prior to the overnight attack, Russia’s Foreign Ministry stated that strikes on Russian-controlled territory would face what it described as “inevitable and severe punishment.”
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