Russia strikes Kyiv twice with ballistic missiles, killing one and injuring 14–15
Russia launched two waves of ballistic-missile attacks on Kyiv, in the evening of October 26 and around 3:30 a.m. on October 27. One person, a 46-year-old woman, was killed, while the reported number of injured ranged from 14 to 15. The strikes damaged homes, university buildings, medical facilities, the Southern Bridge and metro infrastructure, disrupting road and subway traffic.
Key points
- The first wave hit Kyiv at around 21:40 on October 26; a second wave followed around 3:30 a.m. on October 27.
- One person was killed and 14–15 people were injured, according to Ukrainian authorities.
- The first wave struck the university area in Desnianskyi district, damaging a dormitory, university buildings and nearby homes.
- The second wave hit the Southern Bridge and an administrative building in Podilskyi district.
- Police recorded damage in six Kyiv districts.
- By 09:00 on October 27, Ukrainian air defenses had destroyed or suppressed 257 targets, including two ballistic missiles and 255 drones.
- The Southern Bridge was closed to traffic, and metro service on the green line was restricted between Osokorky and Chervonyi Khutir.
- Zelensky said no military objects were near the impact sites and that Ukraine needs tools to destroy ballistic-missile launchers.
Why it matters
The repeated strikes caused the only death and injuries across six Kyiv districts, with students, emergency medical workers and residents among those hurt. Damage to the Southern Bridge and metro infrastructure disrupted transport across the Dnipro, while hits on a university dormitory, medical facilities and housing showed the impact on civilian life, education and healthcare. The broader overnight attack involved 280 strike drones and ballistic missiles, with Kyiv identified as the main target. Zelensky called for tools to destroy ballistic-missile launchers.
What happened
Russia attacked Kyiv with ballistic missiles in two waves. The first, at around 21:40 on October 26, struck the Desnianskyi district, damaging a university dormitory, university buildings, nearby housing, three cars and a partially destroyed non-residential building. Most of the initially reported injured were students living in the dormitory; one person was killed and ten were initially reported injured.
Around 3:30 a.m. on October 27, a second wave followed, during which a red air-raid alert was declared. A missile hit the Southern Bridge, damaging both the bridge and the metro's above-ground infrastructure, while another hit an administrative building in Podilskyi district and two other addresses in the city had damaged non-residential buildings. Fires at two non-residential buildings in Obolonskyi district were extinguished by rescuers. Impact locations were reported at 25 sites, with debris falling at another 16.
The bridge was closed to road traffic in both directions and train movement through it was suspended. Metro service on the green line was limited to the Syrets–Vydubychi and Osokorky–Chervonyi Khutir sections, and the Chernihivska and Lisova stations were temporarily closed on the red line before service was restored across all stations after repairs. The city added buses, including 15 vehicles on the temporary No. 1-M route, and diverted routes 22 and 91 through the Darnytskyi Bridge.
Ukrainian air defenses reported destroying or suppressing 257 targets by 09:00, including two Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles and 255 drones. Russia also launched 280 strike drones at Ukraine, including 69 Shahed-type drones.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian reporting focused on the human toll: one person killed, students and emergency medical workers among the injured, and damage across six Kyiv districts. Coverage highlighted affected university, hospital, residential, bridge and metro sites, along with emergency response and transport adjustments. Ukrainian officials described the strikes as repeated attacks on the capital and said Kyiv was the main direction of the overnight attack. Zelensky said no military objects were near the impact sites and called for tools to destroy ballistic-missile launchers.
Where reporting differs
Sources differed on the number of injured. Early reports and the mayor's morning figures cited 14 people, while later figures from the State Emergency Service and police reported 15. Nine of the injured were hospitalized.
Background
The attacks came in two waves: around 21:40 on October 26 and around 3:30 a.m. on October 27. The first wave damaged the university area in Desnianskyi district, including a dormitory, university buildings and nearby homes. The second wave struck the Southern Bridge and an administrative building in Podilskyi district, while rescuers extinguished fires at two non-residential buildings in Obolonskyi district. Metro and bus services were adjusted after the bridge damage, with additional buses and diverted routes used during the restrictions.