At least 15 people, including four children, died in Kyiv in one of the largest Russian airstrikes against Ukraine since the start of the war, local authorities and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday (28), accusing Moscow of preferring to "keep killing" rather than negotiating peace.
The attack hit central areas of the capital and caused significant damage to the European Union (EU) representation and the British Council office.
Diplomatic efforts were recently accelerated with the encouragement of US President Donald Trump, but they have not produced concrete results, and Russia has intensified its bombings against Ukraine.
On Thursday morning, emergency crews and residents struggled to clear rubble from central Kyiv after the attacks.
A bomb left a crater in a five-story residential building, which was split in two. Rescuers pulled a dust-covered body dressed in pajamas from the rubble and placed it in a black plastic bag.
Authorities believe several people remain trapped beneath the collapsed building. "Glass was flying (...) We screamed when the bombs went off," said Galina Shcherbak, who was in a nearby parking lot.
People heard powerful explosions. They also saw a downed missile and heard drones flying overhead, as residents ran for cover to underground shelters and subway stations, some with their pets.
A school and a shopping mall were also hit.
The Ukrainian military reported that Russia used 598 drones and 31 missiles, including two supersonic Kinzhal missiles, in the second-largest airstrike against the country since the invasion began in February 2022.
- "Deliberate massacre of civilians" -
Zelensky called the attack a "horrible and deliberate massacre of civilians."
"Russia has no interest in diplomacy. It would rather continue killing than end the war," he added.
"Because of the rejection of the ceasefire and Russia's constant attempts to avoid negotiations, new, severe sanctions are necessary," Zelensky added, citing Russia's allies, such as China and Hungary, in particular.
"All deadlines have already been violated, and dozens of opportunities for diplomacy have been wasted. Russia must be held accountable for every attack, for every day of this war," he insisted.
The Kremlin, which claimed to have attacked military targets, insisted that it "remains interested" in diplomacy, but that the bombings against Ukraine will continue.
"The Russian Armed Forces are fulfilling their mission. They continue to strike military and paramilitary targets," declared Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov. "At the same time, Russia remains interested in continuing the negotiation process to achieve its goals through political and diplomatic means," he added.
The attack on Kyiv comes three and a half years after the Russian invasion and with peace negotiations stalled despite American pressure.
The European Union mission building in Kyiv was hit during the attacks, said European Council President António Costa, who stressed that the bloc "will not be intimidated" by Russia. The EU summoned the Russian ambassador.
The British Council office in the Ukrainian capital was also "severely damaged" in the bombing, the institution reported on its Facebook page.
The governments of France and the United Kingdom condemned the new Russian attack.
"Putin is killing children and civilians, and sabotaging hopes for peace. This bloodbath must end," wrote British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
"629 missiles and drones in one night against Ukraine. That's Russia's will for peace. Terror and barbarity," said French President Emmanuel Macron.