Von der Leyen condemns Russia’s deadliest Kyiv strike since July

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has condemned Russia’s latest missile barrage on Kyiv, describing it as “outrageous” after strikes killed at least 23 people and damaged the EU’s diplomatic mission in the Ukrainian capital.

Ukrainian officials said four children were among the dead and dozens more were injured in the overnight onslaught, which they called the most lethal attack on Kyiv since July.

Twenty-two of the victims were killed in a five-storey apartment block in the city’s south-eastern Darnytskyi district, which was completely destroyed. Emergency services worked through the day to pull survivors and bodies from the rubble.

In central Kyiv, the blast wave damaged the offices of the EU delegation and the British Council. Von der Leyen said two missiles exploded within 50 metres of the EU mission in quick succession.

“Two missiles hit in a distance of 50 metres of the delegation within 20 seconds,” she said in a statement, calling the assault a “heinous crime” against civilians.

According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia launched nearly 600 drones and more than 30 ballistic and cruise missiles in the attack, a scale not seen in weeks.

Officials said air defences managed to intercept several incoming weapons but were overwhelmed by the volume of firepower.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko described the strike as a “night of terror,” vowing that the city would not be broken by Russia’s tactics.

The attack comes as Ukraine urges its Western allies to accelerate deliveries of air defence systems and ammunition.

EU officials said staff at the delegation were unharmed but vowed that Europe’s diplomatic presence in Kyiv would continue.

“This barbaric aggression will not intimidate us, nor weaken our support for Ukraine,” von der Leyen said.