Russian Drone Strikes Hit Civilian Areas in Kyiv, Causing Casualties

Ukrainian officials reported that Russian drone strikes in Kyiv resulted in at least seven deaths and over 80 injuries on Monday. The strikes targeted various locations, including apartment blocks, offices, petrol stations, data centres, and cultural sites. One drone struck the National Academy of Sciences in the historic center of Kyiv, near the German embassy and key government institutions. Eyewitnesses reported that staff evacuated using firefighters’ ladders as flames engulfed part of the building. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko described the strikes as an act of terror aimed at disrupting civilian life. In addition to the casualties in Kyiv, three people were killed in a strike on an office center in Dnipro, and there were reports of injuries in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Odesa. The Russian government claims it is targeting military-related sites, while Ukraine accuses Russia of conducting systematic attacks on civilians and infrastructure to weaken its economy and influence peace negotiations.