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Kyiv witnessed devastating scenes overnight as one of the most intense Russian attacks in recent weeks hit the Ukrainian capital. The city came under heavy bombardment shortly after Vladimir Putin threatened retaliation for strikes in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine.

Video footage circulating online captures the exact moment a cruise missile struck central Kyiv. In the video, a sudden flash of intense light illuminates the sky at the point of impact, immediately followed by a powerful explosion.

Aerial Assault Triggers Widespread Destruction

Ukrainian officials stated that around 600 drones and 90 missiles were fired during the overnight assault. While air defence systems managed to shoot down a significant number of the incoming projectiles, they could not intercept them all, according to AFP.

The incoming strikes caused severe destruction in the heart of the capital. According to Euromaidan Press, a business centre and a nearby market close to the Lukianivska metro station were completely destroyed. Among the severely damaged sites was a small café that had famously been rebuilt and reopened six times after earlier Russian attacks.

Four people were killed in the assault, and dozens more sustained injuries. Beyond the capital, homes, schools, markets, and commercial buildings were damaged across multiple regions. As explosions echoed throughout the night, residents rushed to metro stations and underground shelters to seek safety from the incoming missiles and drones.

Civilian Areas Target of Brutal Barrage

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha strongly criticised Russia on X (formerly Twitter), arguing that the barrage targeted civilians rather than military infrastructure.

"Russia carried out one of the largest overnight attacks on Kyiv and several other Ukrainian regions, including Cherkasy, Kharkiv, Kropyvnytskyi, Odesa, Poltava, Sumy and Zhytomyr," Sybiha wrote, emphasizing that the assault was not about military targets but about harming civilians.

Hypersonic Oreshnik Missile Deployed Again

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that Russia also deployed a powerful weapon during the raid: the Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile. The Oreshnik is a highly advanced hypersonic missile capable of travelling at ten times the speed of sound. It is specifically designed to destroy heavily fortified underground bunkers located "three, four or more floors down."

Russia first deployed the multiple-warhead Oreshnik missile on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro in November 2024. According to AP News, it was reportedly used for a second time in January in the western Lviv region.

Zelenskyy strongly condemned the weekend's escalation, stating that the strikes deliberately targeted ordinary civilians and vital civilian infrastructure, including markets, schools, and water facilities.

Russia Confirms Use of Advanced Weapons

On Sunday, Russia's Defence Ministry confirmed that it had deployed the Oreshnik system alongside other missile variants. Moscow claimed the operation successfully struck Ukrainian "military command and control facilities," air bases, and military-industrial enterprises, though officials did not specify the exact locations of those targets.

According to Russian authorities, the massive attack was a direct "response" to recent Ukrainian strikes conducted against Russian-controlled areas.