Aftermath in Kyiv After Russia Assaults Ukraine With Over 800 Drones and Decoys | WATCH

Kyiv: A residential building in Kyiv was hit and damaged overnight into Sunday after Russia bombarded Ukraine's capital with drones and missiles in the largest aerial attack on the country since the war began. Local Resident Oleksandr Samokish was sleeping when he heard the explosion. “Got dressed, got out to have a look - trouble. The sixth-floor balcony is on fire,” he told the Associated Press.

The strike killed at least two people, leaving smoke rising from the roof of a key government building. Associated Press reporters saw a plume of smoke rising from the roof of Kyiv’s cabinet of ministers building, but it was not immediately clear if the smoke was the result of a direct hit or debris, which would mark an escalation in Russia’s air campaign. Russia has so far avoided targeting government buildings in the city centre.

Ukraine shot down and neutralised 747 drones and 4 missiles, according to a statement from the Air Force. Russia attacked Ukraine with 805 drones and decoys, officials said. There were nine missile hits and 56 drone strikes in 37 locations across Ukraine. Debris from downed drones and missiles fell on eight locations.

Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Air Force, confirmed to The Associated Press that Sunday’s attack was the largest Russian drone strike since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. Sunday's attack is the second mass Russian drone and missile attack to target Kyiv in the span of two weeks, as hopes for peace talks wane.

The attack comes after European leaders pressed Russian leader Vladimir Putin to work to end the war after 26 of Ukraine's allies pledged to deploy troops as a “reassurance force” for the war-torn country once the fighting ends. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is ready to meet Putin to negotiate a peace agreement, and has urged US President Donald Trump to impose punishing sanctions on Russia to push it to end the war.

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