In a series of conflicts from the Russian Ukrainian war, a Russian missile attack on Kyiv left at least one dead and 12 critically injured. Several embassies also sustained significant destruction from the incident, the Ukrainian authorities said.

The incident took place earlier on Friday, December 20, 2024; the Kyiv city military administration confirmed the news via Telegram, stating that five of the injured were hospitalized and others were offered on-site aid.

According to Ukraines air force command, the attack began around 7 am in the morning. It involved five ballistic missiles, intercepted by the Ukrainian air defense forces. Around 40 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were deployed, and 20 more drones failed to reach their targets.

Despite the defense efforts, the attack caused widespread damage and injuries to people in the capital city of Kyiv. Further, the attack has also caused severe infrastructural damage due to the impact of debris. Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv city military administration, reported the widespread destruction the incident caused.

In one district, an office building, road surface, and gas pipe were damaged, and five cars caught fire, he stated in his recent Telegram posts. While another district witnessed an under-construction building explosion, due to falling debris (discarded remains).

Among the damaged embassies of several countries were those of Albania, Argentina, Palestine, North Macedonia, Portugal, and Montenegro, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.

What Did the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Say?

Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesperson of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, condemned the attack as barbaric, mentioning that windows and doors of embassy premises were shattered. Though, there has been no significant damage reported to its facility. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has summoned the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Charge de affaires) to protest against the incident.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that the attack was directed to hit a command post of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Kyiv Luch design bureau, and positions of the Patriot anti-aircraft missile system.

The targets were achieved. All objects were hit, the ministry mentioned on their Telegram channel.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, calling for increased sanctions against Russia. He was grateful to international partners for their continued support in bolstering Ukraines air defense systems.

I thank all of our partners who are responding to this and other Russian attacks by being ready to provide more air defense systems, he added.

Recent Attack

Additionally, the Russian armed forces had previously targeted southern Kherson, Ukraine. On December 20, 2024, a large-scale, intensified attack has been launched in the city, causing significant damage to residential areas and infrastructure. The attack has left many areas without power and caused widespread destruction.

About the Russia-Ukraine War

The Russia-Ukraine conflict began in 2014 and has led to significant escalation since February 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale attack on Ukraine, leading to widespread destruction and loss of life and humanitarian crises.