Russian drone and missile attacks strike urban areas in Kyiv and Kirov
A residential building in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district catches fire following a drone strike on Nov. 12.
Recent aerial strikes have impacted urban centers in Russia and Ukraine, hitting a Kyiv apartment building and a military equipment factory in Kirov. The strikes caused structural damage, fires, and casualties, highlighting an intensified pattern of conflict. Emergency services and local officials have responded to the ongoing incidents.
- WhenThursday morning, Nov. 12
- WhereKyiv and Kirov
- CasualtiesIn Kyiv, a 44-year-old woman was killed and five or six people were injured; in Kirov, six people were killed and 26 injured
- CauseDrone and missile strikes
- StatusEmergency services operating at the scenes
Photos
9 photosWhat happened
A Russian drone struck a nine-story apartment building in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district, causing a fire to break out between the third and sixth floors. Partial structural damage was also reported on the fifth floor of the residential building.
Separately, a missile strike hit a military equipment factory in Kirov, an area located about 800 kilometers northeast of Moscow. The explosion caused the apartment building of local residents to shudder, with windows and furniture shaking as thick black smoke rose from the facility.
Damage inside a building with shattered windows and debris following the strikes.
How it unfolded
The strike in Kyiv followed an overnight ballistic missile barrage that triggered fires across the capital. This event formed part of an intensified campaign of near-round-the-clock drone attacks that have escalated since late August.
In Kirov, the explosion woke residents in the middle of the night. Local residents noted uncertainty over whether to run to a shelter as the blast shook their homes.
Thick smoke rising in the distance near water after a strike.
The people involved
The Kyiv strike resulted in the death of a 44-year-old woman. Reports on the number of injured individuals in Kyiv varied slightly, citing either five or six people hurt.
In Kirov, the local governor reported that six people were killed and 26 others injured. Among the residents awakened by the blast in Kirov was Olga, a 49-year-old choreographer.
Response and aftermath
Police, medical teams, and other emergency services rushed to work at the scene in Kyiv following the residential building strike. The capital has faced a relentless cycle of air raid alerts and disruptions to daily life.
In Kirov, thick black smoke was visible rising from the factory site following the explosion.
What we still don't know
Specific details regarding the exact number of drones or missiles launched in the initial barrages have not been fully detailed, and the broader extent of structural damage at the Kirov factory has not yet been reported yet.