Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities came under heavy Russian missile attack early Sunday, , just two days before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The strikes, which targeted energy infrastructure and civilian areas, left at least two people wounded in the capital and prompted air raid alerts nationwide.
AFP journalists in Kyiv reported a series of explosions beginning around local time, shortly after the issuance of an air raid warning. Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, urged residents to seek shelter, stating that the city was under attack with ballistic weapons.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that a woman and a child were hospitalized with injuries sustained in the suburbs. The attacks caused a fire on the roof of a residential building, according to Tkachenko, and emergency services were deployed across the city as temperatures plummeted to nearly minus 10 degrees Celsius.
The bombardment extended beyond the capital. Explosions were reported in Lviv, a city in western Ukraine near the Polish border, late Saturday night. A policewoman was killed and 15 people injured after responding to a reported break-in, with Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi describing the incident as “clearly an act of terrorism,” though providing no further details on perpetrators.
The attacks come as Ukraine prepares to mark four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion on . The conflict has resulted in widespread destruction, the displacement of millions, and significant casualties on both sides. Moscow currently occupies approximately a fifth of Ukrainian territory and continues to make incremental gains, particularly in the eastern Donbas region, despite facing substantial losses and Ukrainian counter-strikes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Friday that Ukraine is “definitely not losing” the war and that victory remains the ultimate objective. He claimed that Ukrainian forces had recently reclaimed around 300 square kilometers of territory through counter-attacks, though this claim could not be independently verified.
Zelensky also attributed recent advances to outages of Starlink internet terminals across the front lines, which he said were shut down at Kyiv’s request by owner Elon Musk. The disruption of Starlink services reportedly aided Ukrainian operations.
The United States is actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, having brokered several rounds of talks in recent weeks without achieving a significant breakthrough. Zelensky, facing increasing pressure from Washington to consider concessions, indicated on Saturday that he plans to consult with European leaders in the coming days and seek greater involvement from Middle Eastern states and Turkey.
The intensification of Russian attacks coincides with a period of heightened vigilance across Ukraine, extending to its western border. Poland’s Operational Command reported scrambling jets early Sunday after detecting “long-range aviation of the Russian Federation conducting strikes on the territory of Ukraine.”
Kyiv has been regularly targeted by Russian missile and drone attacks since the beginning of the invasion. Recent weeks have seen a surge in overnight strikes as Moscow intensifies its winter campaign targeting Ukraine’s energy and military infrastructure. The strikes represent a continued effort to degrade Ukraine’s ability to sustain its war effort and to inflict hardship on the civilian population as winter conditions worsen.
The ongoing conflict has had far-reaching implications for regional and global security. The war has triggered a major humanitarian crisis, with millions of Ukrainians displaced both internally and as refugees in neighboring countries. It has also disrupted global supply chains, particularly for food and energy, contributing to inflationary pressures and economic instability worldwide. The conflict continues to pose a significant challenge to the international order and underscores the importance of diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions and find a peaceful resolution.
The situation remains fluid and highly volatile. Further developments are expected in the coming days as Ukraine approaches the anniversary of the Russian invasion and as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict continue.
