Nationwide assault targets Kyiv’s residential districts and energy facilities
Russia carried out a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine in the early hours of 25 November 2025, launching a combined strike of drones and missiles against civilian neighbourhoods and critical infrastructure. By 10:00, authorities confirmed six people killed and 21 injured across the country, including children. Kyiv suffered the heaviest toll, with casualties in multiple districts and extensive damage to residential buildings.
According to Ukraine’s Air Force Command, Russia deployed 503 aerial weapons during the night and morning assault, including 458 Shahed-type attack drones and 45 missiles of various classes. The barrage featured 25 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, 10 Iskander-K cruise missiles, seven Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles and three Kalibr cruise missiles.
Kyiv experienced a series of direct hits on apartment blocks and infrastructure. In Pechersk district, a 22-storey building was struck, while a major fire erupted on the upper floors of a nine-storey residential block in Dniprovskyi district. Key facilities were also targeted, including the Darnytsia railway station and CHP-5 power and heating plant. The strike disrupted heating and electricity supplies across several districts, leaving parts of the capital without heat as temperatures dropped.
Strikes reported in multiple regions
Russian missiles and drones hit at least 25 locations nationwide. In Kyiv region, damage was reported in Brovary, Bila Tserkva and Vyshhorod districts, where debris and direct impacts caused injuries and destroyed civilian facilities. A 14-year-old girl was wounded in Bila Tserkva.
Odesa region came under a heavy drone attack that struck port, energy and civilian infrastructure, injuring six people, including two children. In Zaporizhzhia region, one person was killed and three were wounded. Dnipropetrovsk region also faced strikes on the Nikopol district and Mykolaiv community of Synelnykove district, resulting in further infrastructure damage.
The scale and distribution of the attack underscore a coordinated effort to hit urban centres, energy supplies and transportation hubs at the start of winter, amplifying humanitarian risks for millions of Ukrainians.
Kremlin pressure intensifies amid “peace proposal” discussions
The attack occurred as diplomats continued discussions surrounding the so-called 28-point Russian “peace proposal.” Although Moscow publicly signals readiness for dialogue, its parallel escalation of missile and drone attacks indicates a dual strategy: using negotiations as leverage while increasing humanitarian pressure on Ukraine.
The strike on CHP-5 and the Darnytsia railway station aligns with last year’s pattern of Russian attacks on energy infrastructure designed to paralyse Ukraine’s power grid and heating systems during winter. Analysts warn that such actions aim to force Kyiv into concessions by raising the civilian cost of resistance.
By intensifying the scale of strikes while promoting its proposals, the Kremlin seeks to pressure Ukrainian authorities during negotiations on territorial status, security arrangements and long-term guarantees. The violence creates an additional backdrop of explosions, fires and blackouts that Russia uses as a coercive tactic.
Implications for Ukraine and Western partners
For Western capitals, the attack is a test of resilience and consistency. Continued rhetoric about the need for compromise at Ukraine’s expense risks signalling to Moscow that its pressure campaign is effective.
The assault also highlights Ukraine’s dependence on sustained foreign support for air and missile defence. Although Ukrainian air defenders intercept a large portion of incoming threats, their systems and ammunition require predictable replenishment. With winter advancing, additional interceptor missiles and air-defence assets remain crucial to reducing casualties and preventing infrastructure collapse.
The strike on Kyiv reinforces the broader risks extending far beyond Ukraine — from potential new refugee flows to questions about the reliability of Europe’s security architecture. The scale of the attack demonstrates that Russia’s campaign is aimed at destruction and destabilisation rather than territorial control, with consequences that could reverberate across the region.
