Kyiv Mourns As Death Toll From Russian Attack In The Ukrainian Capital Rises To 24

KYIV, Ukraine — The decease toll from a Russian rocket onslaught that flattened a Kyiv flat building roseate Friday to 24, including 3 teenagers, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said arsenic he led nan mourning for 1 of nan deadliest attacks connected nan superior successful nan 4-year-old war.

The cruise rocket deed nan nine-story area flat artifact Thursday during what nan Ukrainian aerial unit said was Russia’s biggest barrage connected nan state of nan full-scale invasion. Emergency workers vanished digging done nan rubble searching for victims aft much than a day, Zelensky said connected X.

Crowds of grieving group — galore of them children — streamed toward a makeshift memorial beneath a character adjacent nan destroyed building.

Teenagers clutching bouquets arrived successful groups and collapsed into tears arsenic they approached nan increasing mound of flowers and stuffed toys beside photographs of nan dead. A image of a woman successful a schoolhouse uniform, posed against a agleam yellowish backdrop, was among nan photos.

Zelensky and different apical authorities officials visited nan tract to salary tribute to nan dead, arsenic did Kyiv-based overseas diplomats.

Russia has hammered Ukraine pinch large-scale aerial attacks successful nan days since a May 9-11 ceasefire that President Trump said he asked Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to observe. Fighting continued complete those 72 hours, though reportedly connected a lesser scale.

This week’s attacks ran antagonistic to caller suggestions from Trump and Putin that nan warfare is adjacent to ending.

The battle mostly targeted nan Ukrainian capital, wherever 48 group were wounded, including 2 children, Zelensky said.

He said Moscow had launched much than 1,560 drones against Ukrainian organization centers since Wednesday, adding that astir 180 sites crossed nan state were damaged, including much than 50 residential buildings.

Previously, nan biggest Russian drone onslaught was connected March 23-24 erstwhile Moscow’s forces fired astir 1,000 drones and missiles astatine Ukraine. Thursday’s decease toll successful Kyiv approached 1 from July 2024 that killed 32 civilians and injured different 85.

Russia reports a Ukrainian onslaught connected Ryazan

Ukraine has besides built up important long-range capabilities, and Russia’s Defense Ministry said Friday that its aerial defenses downed 355 Ukrainian drones overnight successful 1 of nan largest barrages of nan war. Several airports suspended flights overnight because of nan attacks.

A Ukrainian drone struck Ryazan, a metropolis astir 60 miles southeast of Moscow, killed 4 people, including a child, location Gov. Pavel Malkov said. Massive plumes of achromatic fume roseate from a occurrence astatine an lipid refinery. Ukraine has targeted Russian lipid accommodation to effort to contradict captious gross for Moscow and rattle nan Kremlin.

Ukrainian officials made nary contiguous remark connected nan Ryazan strike.

The cruise rocket that deed nan Kyiv flat building was built successful nan 2nd 4th of this year, Zelensky said, apparently aft Ukrainian experts analyzed nan wreckage.

“This intends Russia is still importing nan components, resources and instrumentality basal for rocket accumulation successful circumvention of world sanctions,” he said successful different station connected X precocious Thursday. “Stopping Russia’s sanctions evasion schemes must beryllium a genuine privilege for each our partners.”

Also connected Friday, Russia and Ukraine swapped 205 prisoners of war, 1 of an occasional exchange.

Zelensky said it was nan first shape of a planned switch of 1,000 POWs from each side. Some of nan Ukrainians person been held by Russia since 2022 and fought successful immoderate of nan war’s fiercest battles, he added.

Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed nan speech and thanked nan United Arab Emirates for helping to agent it.

Kullab, Arhirova and Hatton constitute for nan Associated Press. Hatton reported from Lisbon, Portugal.