RUSSIA LAUNCHES DRONE AND MISSILE ATTACK ON KYIV

Russian forces attacked Kyiv on Thursday, killing at least two people and injuring more than a dozen, according to officials. Drones and missiles struck residential buildings across the Ukrainian capital, with several structures catching fire. A hotel situated on a central boulevard in Kyiv also caught fire during the barrage. President Volodymyr Zelensky had warned hours earlier that Russia was planning a major overnight attack and announced he was cutting short his visit to Dublin.

Ukraine's commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that Russian president Vladimir Putin had ordered his military to develop new offensive operations aimed at capturing Kyiv and surrounding areas. Syrskyi said these operations include offensives launched from Belarusian territory. Poland, a NATO and European Union member, scrambled fighter jets early on Thursday as a preventive measure, though the Polish Armed Forces later confirmed no airspace violation had occurred and the flights were ended. In Russia, officials reported that air defences brought down six drones in the northwestern Leningrad region, which contains large export and oil refining facilities.

The attack represents an escalation in the ongoing conflict between Russian and Ukrainian forces. Officials in Kyiv reported that explosions and strikes shook the capital for hours. Zelensky's early warning of the planned assault enabled Ukrainian authorities to alert the public and prepare defensive measures before the barrage commenced.