Russia unleashes savage onslaught on Ukraine: killed 12, 70 injured in Kyiv alone

KYIV – In a night of unrelenting terror, Russia launched a massive and indiscriminate attack on Ukraine on April 24, targeting nine regions and unleashing a wave of destruction. 

The capital of Kyiv bore the brunt of the assault – twelve innocent civilians were lost and over 70 people were injured, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.

“Firefighters from the State Emergency Service worked throughout the night to extinguish around 40 fires in nine regions. The areas targeted included Kyiv and its region, Zhytomyr, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia,” the statement said.

Various first responders worked tirelessly overnight in Kyiv at 13 sites. 

Efforts were still ongoing as of midday on April 24 to clear the rubble of a collapsed building in the Sviatoshynskyi district of the city.

“Rescue teams can hear phone calls coming from under the rubble. Search efforts will continue until all victims are accounted for. There is information about two children who have yet to be found at the scene,” the ministry said.

The nightmare continued under the constant threat of renewed shelling — a cruel pattern that has become a hallmark of Russian attacks: strike once, then strike again when rescuers arrive.

“Rescue operations continued throughout the night, with the constant threat of repeated shelling,” the statement said.

Attacks on civilians and emergency services during rescue operations are typical of Russia, said Interior Affairs Minister Ihor Klymenko.

“We have experienced this many times before. This is why Ukraine insists on an immediate and complete ceasefire – it is primarily about stopping the killing of our people,” the minister said.

Russia launched 215 missiles and drones of various types across Ukraine on the night of April 24. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 112 of them, with F-16 and Mirage fighter jets playing an active role in repelling the assault, according to the Air Force.

It’s crucial that the world sees and understands what is really happening, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

“It has been 44 days since Ukraine agreed to a full ceasefire and a halt to strikes. This was a proposal from the United States. And it has been 44 days of Russia continuing to kill our people and evading tough pressure and accountability for its actions,” he said.

Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Minister Andrii Sybiha said that it is Russia – not Ukraine – that is blocking peace.

“Moscow, not Kyiv, is where pressure should be applied,” he said.

Russia attacks Ukrainian cities and villages daily. The Ukrainian World Congress publishes news on the largest shelling incidents. More detailed information on the consequences of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, read the Victory Chronicles.