Russian ballistic missiles struck Kyiv in several waves overnight, injuring at least five people — including a 14-year-old girl — and damaging apartment buildings and a kindergarten, hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Moscow was preparing a new large-scale attack on the capital's infrastructure.
The attack, which began shortly before 11pm local time on Friday and continued into the early hours of Saturday, hit the Solomianskyi district in the west of the city and damaged a key bridge across the Dnipro river. Kyiv's mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said two of the injured had been taken to hospital, and the city's Northern Bridge was closed to traffic in both directions.
"Explosions in the Kyiv suburbs. The enemy is hitting infrastructure with ballistic missiles," Klitschko wrote on Telegram as the attack unfolded, according to Reuters.
What happened overnight
Ukraine's Air Force warned shortly before 11pm on Friday that at least six ballistic missiles were heading for the capital, and the first barrage struck within minutes, the Kyiv Independent reported from the ground. Residents received an all-clear signal about half an hour later — but the respite was brief. A fresh missile wave targeted the city shortly after 1am, with journalists reporting another round of at least six loud blasts. Explosions rocked Kyiv again at 3:04am and 3:30am.
| Time (local) | Development |
|---|---|
| Shortly before 11pm, Friday 6 November | Air Force warns at least six ballistic missiles are heading for Kyiv; first barrage hits within minutes |
| Shortly after 1am, Saturday 7 November | Second wave of missiles; at least six loud blasts reported in the city |
| 3:04am and 3:30am | Further explosions as ballistic missiles continue to target the capital |
| Morning, 7 November | Casualty toll rises to five injured in Kyiv; Northern Bridge closed to traffic |
Casualties and damage
At least five people were injured in the city of Kyiv, including a 14-year-old girl, and two were hospitalised, according to Klitschko. Initial reports from the city's military administration had put the number of injured at two; the toll rose through the morning as emergency services assessed the damage.
In the Solomianskyi district, debris from a missile struck a five-storey apartment building, Klitschko said, and the facade of another residential building was damaged. The blast wave shattered windows in other five-storey buildings, and a fire broke out at a non-residential building in the same district, the Kyiv City Military Administration said.
A two-storey building on the grounds of a kindergarten was destroyed in a direct hit, according to the State Emergency Service, cited by Ukrinform. The city's military administration said a building housing a kindergarten had been damaged.
Outside the capital, a Russian jet-powered drone struck a home in the Brovary district of Kyiv region, causing a fire and injuring one man, regional governor Tymur Tkachenko said. The man was pulled from the rubble and taken to hospital with burns and multiple shrapnel wounds.
Kyiv's Northern Bridge — a major crossing of the Dnipro river — was also damaged in the attack and is currently closed to traffic in both directions, Klitschko said.
"Explosions in the Kyiv suburbs. The enemy is hitting infrastructure with ballistic missiles." — Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, on Telegram
Zelenskyy's warning — and the campaign against energy
Hours before the missiles arrived, Zelenskyy told Ukrainians in his nightly video address that intelligence reports pointed to another massive Russian strike on infrastructure. The attack would likely target bridges, energy facilities and civilian infrastructure, he warned — a description that matches what unfolded overnight, with a Dnipro bridge damaged and residential districts hit.
Kyiv, a city of about three million people, has come under relentless assault in recent weeks as Russia begins its annual campaign against Ukraine's power grid. The city endured the largest strike on energy this year on 3 November, leading to widespread blackouts and water supply cut-offs. City officials and the central government have traded blame for the worsening state of Kyiv's energy infrastructure ahead of winter, the Kyiv Independent reported.
The diplomatic backdrop
The attack came three days before US-led talks involving Ukrainian and Russian negotiators were due to open in Abu Dhabi, seeking a resolution to the war that has gone on for more than four years. The last such talks took place in February, Al Jazeera reported.
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump said a deal between Russia and Ukraine may be imminent, following a meeting at the White House with Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev. Trump said he did not meet the Ukrainian delegation on Thursday.
The meeting came on the same day First Lady Melania Trump hosted a diplomatic gathering of Russian and Ukrainian representatives to mark a localised truce she helped broker in the southern Ukrainian city of Oleshky in October. That truce expired last Sunday — a day before a Russian bombing of an aid distribution point in Komyshuvakha, in the Zaporizhia region. The death toll from that attack has risen to 50, Ukraine's Emergency Service said on Friday, making it one of the deadliest strikes on civilians this year, according to Al Jazeera.
What is not yet verified: Russia has not commented publicly on the overnight attack. Casualty figures are preliminary and may change as emergency services complete their assessments. The full extent of the damage is not yet clear, and further strikes were reported as possible hours after the attack. This article will be updated as confirmed information emerges.
Frequently asked questions
What do we know so far?
Several waves of Russian ballistic missiles hit Kyiv overnight on 6–7 November. At least five people were injured in the capital, including a 14-year-old girl, and one more person was injured in the surrounding region. Apartment buildings, a kindergarten and a major bridge were damaged.
What don't we know yet?
The full extent of the damage is not yet clear, and casualty figures remain preliminary. It is not yet known whether further waves of strikes will follow, or how long the Northern Bridge will remain closed.
Why did Zelenskyy warn of an attack?
In his nightly address on Friday, the president said Ukrainian intelligence had information that Russia was preparing a new attack targeting energy infrastructure, bridges across the Dnipro river and civilian facilities. The overnight strike followed within hours.
What happens at the Abu Dhabi talks?
US-led talks involving Ukrainian and Russian negotiators are due to open in Abu Dhabi on 10 November. They are the first such talks since February, and come as President Trump says a deal may be imminent.
How bad is Kyiv's energy situation?
The city suffered its largest strike on energy infrastructure this year on 3 November, causing widespread blackouts and water cut-offs. Officials warn the situation will worsen as winter approaches and Russia continues its campaign against the power grid.
Key takeaways
- Several waves of Russian ballistic missiles struck Kyiv overnight on 6–7 November, hours after President Zelenskyy warned of a new large-scale attack.
- At least five people were injured in the capital, including a 14-year-old girl, and one more person was hurt in a drone strike in the surrounding region.
- Apartment buildings and a kindergarten were damaged, and Kyiv's Northern Bridge was closed to traffic in both directions.
- The attack comes three days before US-led talks in Abu Dhabi, as President Trump says a Russia–Ukraine deal may be imminent.
- Casualty figures remain preliminary and the full extent of the damage is not yet clear.
What to watch next
Watch for updated casualty and damage figures from Kyiv's emergency services, for news on whether the Northern Bridge reopens, and for the state of power and water supplies in the capital. The next major marker is the opening of the US-led talks in Abu Dhabi on 10 November — and whether the overnight attack changes the tone of those negotiations.
