Russia carried out one of its largest combined attacks on Ukraine overnight on September 7, launching more than 1,000 drones alongside 13 missiles that hit multiple cities across the country. In Kyiv, over ten locations were damaged, including residential areas in the Sviatoshynskyi and Darnytskyi districts, where fires and destruction left at least two people dead — a three-month-old baby and his mother — and 17 others injured. For the first time since the start of the full-scale war, the building of the Cabinet of Ministers in the capital caught fire, with flames engulfing the roof and upper floors, prompting firefighters to use a helicopter to contain the blaze.
Kyiv neighborhoods hit with deadly strikes
In Sviatoshynskyi district, drones struck directly into apartment windows: the top three floors of a 16-story building burned out, and a nine-story block suffered partial destruction from the 4th to the 8th floors. Another residential building in Darnytskyi lost its third and fourth floors after a direct drone hit. Fires broke out in courtyards, cars ignited, and a kindergarten roof was set ablaze. Families were forced to shelter in corridors and basements as rescue teams worked under repeated waves of incoming attacks.
Regional cities also targeted
In Kremenchuk, dozens of explosions damaged a bridge over the Dnipro River, left parts of the city without electricity, and destroyed both a private home and an industrial facility. Kryvyi Rih reported strikes on an enterprise, an administrative building, and residential areas, injuring at least three people, one critically. In Odesa, missiles and drones damaged apartment blocks, warehouses, the city’s sports palace, and other civilian infrastructure, leaving three wounded. Zaporizhzhia saw a kindergarten, 16 high-rise buildings, 12 private homes, and an industrial site hit, sparking a fire covering about 1,000 square meters and injuring 17 people. In the Dnipro region, strikes caused further destruction, with at least one person killed and another wounded in Nikopol.
Escalation despite talk of peace
The scale and timing of the assault — combining swarms of drones with ballistic and cruise missiles — underscored Moscow’s intent to escalate, even as discussions of possible peace formulas continue internationally. Poland responded by scrambling its air force to monitor the situation, highlighting the risks of regional spillover. Ukrainian officials said the overnight wave caused 37 separate strike locations, including nine missile hits and 56 confirmed drone impacts.
Pressure on energy and infrastructure
The attacks triggered emergency power shutdowns and switching across central Ukraine, affecting vital services and heightening fears of renewed winter blackouts. Analysts said the Kremlin’s goal remains consistent: to undermine Ukraine’s energy system, disrupt transport links, and increase the social cost of war for civilians and businesses. International calls for support have grown, with Kyiv urging urgent reinforcement of air defenses such as Patriot, IRIS-T, and NASAMS systems, alongside expanded sanctions on Russia’s military supply chains and direct aid to restore damaged energy infrastructure.
External support fueling Russia’s war effort
Ukrainian officials pointed to the continued flow of critical components for drones and missiles from Chinese companies — including electronics, optics, and engines — and emphasized India’s role as one of Moscow’s top oil buyers. This trade, they argued, sustains Russia’s budget and enables further strikes. Kyiv is pressing for targeted sanctions against suppliers and financial institutions linked to these flows, as well as restrictions on shipping and insurance to reduce Moscow’s wartime revenues. The overnight strikes, they warned, underline the urgency of moving from expressions of solidarity to concrete action.
