Russian strikes on Kyiv kill more than a dozen, damage EU building

At least 17 people, including four children, died as a result of Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s capital overnight, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday. Russia struck Kyiv with about 600 drones and over 30 missiles in one night, Zelenskyy said.

Ukrainian representatives are set to meet with U.S. diplomats in New York on Friday to discuss security guarantees needed for an end to the war, Zelenskyy said on Wednesday.

Two Russian missiles hit about 165 feet away from the European Union’s diplomatic office within 20 seconds of each other. The blast damaged the building, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday, showing images of collapsed ceiling tiles and bent metal inside an office space. Europe would soon put forward its 19th package of sanctions against Russia, von der Leyen said. The strikes also damaged the British Council building, according to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

What happened in the previous round of Russian strikes? The Thursday morning attacks came a day after Russian drones damaged Ukrainian energy facilities, knocking out power to more than 100,000 households in Ukraine’s Sumy, Poltava, and Chernihiv regions. Drones also struck civilian buildings, leaving people injured, according to Zelenskyy.

Dig deeper: Listen to Mary Muncy’s story on Ukraine’s push for security guarantees.