Heavy Russian Air Strikes Hit Kyiv and Other Ukrainian Cities

Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, and several other cities endured heavy Russian air strikes on Thursday night, marking one of the longest attacks in over four years of war. Ukrainian authorities reported that Russia launched 56 rockets and cruise missiles alongside 675 drones. The assaults resulted in five deaths and at least 40 injuries, with significant damage to residential buildings, a school, and infrastructure in Kyiv. Rescue workers extracted survivors from rubble, while more than ten people remain missing. Attacks also struck Kherson, where a UN vehicle was targeted, as well as Odessa, Kharkiv, and the Zakarpattia region. In response, Slovakian authorities temporarily closed border crossings, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the violence, rejecting Russian mediation proposals. President Volodymyr Zelensky linked the timing of the attack to US President Donald Trump's visit to China, hoping for reduced Chinese support for Russia. These strikes followed a brief three-day ceasefire, during which Russia held a World War II commemoration parade. The incident underscores the ongoing volatility and humanitarian impact of the conflict, drawing sharp criticism from European leaders and affecting regional border security.