Russian Missiles and Drones Strike Kyiv and Kharkiv, Killing One and Injuring Several

Russia carried out overnight drone and missile strikes on Ukraine’s two largest cities, Kyiv and Kharkiv, early Saturday, killing one person and injuring at least 15 others, Ukrainian officials confirmed.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said one person was killed in the capital and four others were injured, with three requiring hospital treatment. Emergency services were deployed across multiple neighbourhoods following the attacks.

According to Klitschko, fires broke out on both sides of the Dnipro River, which divides the city. He added that water and heating supplies were disrupted in several eastern districts, compounding hardship for residents amid freezing winter conditions.

Ukraine’s air force confirmed that Russia used a combination of drones and missiles during the assault on Kyiv. Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv military administration, said at least four districts were affected, with several buildings damaged, including a medical facility.

The latest attack adds to mounting pressure on the capital, which has already endured two large-scale overnight strikes since the beginning of the year. Those attacks left hundreds of residential buildings without electricity or heating as temperatures plunged to minus 13 degrees Celsius. Emergency crews continued restoration work throughout the night.

Kharkiv, a frequent target located around 30 kilometres from the Russian border, also suffered extensive damage. Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported that at least 25 drones struck multiple districts over a period of approximately two and a half hours.

Terekhov said at least 11 people were injured in Kharkiv. In a statement posted on Telegram, he confirmed that the drones hit critical civilian infrastructure, including a hospital, a maternity hospital, and housing facilities for displaced residents.

The renewed bombardment came as negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States concluded the first day of talks in the United Arab Emirates. The discussions, scheduled over two days, aim to explore pathways toward ending the nearly four-year-long conflict.

Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, the attacks underscored the continued intensity of the war and the vulnerability of Ukraine’s urban centres, particularly as winter conditions strain essential services and humanitarian resources.