In the early hours of 17 June 2025, Kyiv woke to tragedy. Between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., the Russian Federation launched a series of deadly airstrikes on the Ukrainian capital, targeting residential neighbourhoods, not military installations. Entire apartment blocks were torn apart while families slept. This was not a battlefield — it was a city filled with civilians.
Confirmed Death Toll Rises as Rescue Efforts Continue
As of 9:30 a.m. (Kyiv time) on 17 June, the Ukrainian authorities confirmed:
- 14 people killed, including a U.S. citizen engaged in humanitarian work
- At least 99 wounded, with 59 hospitalised
- The number of victims is likely to grow as search-and-rescue teams comb through rubble in the Solomianskyi district, one of the areas worst affected
This calculated and brutal strike has destroyed entire sections of residential complexes, leaving hundreds displaced and traumatised.
State Terrorism, Not Collateral Damage
Let’s be clear: this was not an accident, nor the result of misguided intelligence. Ukraine’s emergency services and civilian witnesses report that the attack was highly coordinated, designed to strike deep inside residential areas. This was state-sponsored terror, executed with the cold precision of a military campaign — but against sleeping families, not soldiers.
The scenes of devastation evoke comparisons to the worst horrors of the past. In a chilling echo of tactics once used by terrorist groups like ISIS, Moscow now appears to be following suit — with far more advanced weaponry, and with the full backing of its state apparatus.
International Outcry Grows
The targeting of civilians is a blatant violation of international humanitarian law. The presence of foreign nationals among the victims underscores the global dimension of this tragedy. It is a stark reminder that Russia’s aggressioncontinues to defy basic norms of war.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has already condemned previous similar attacks and may soon issue a formal statement.
International leaders have yet to respond to this latest atrocity, but pressure is mounting for stronger sanctions and legal measures to classify these attacks as war crimes.
Kyiv Holds Strong Amid the Ashes
Despite the horror, Ukrainian emergency services, medical staff, and ordinary citizens continue to show extraordinary resilience. Dozens of people have already been pulled from the wreckage alive. Volunteers are providing shelter, food, and emotional support to survivors.
The message from Kyiv is clear: terror will not break the spirit of Ukraine.
