Russia's massive attack on Ukraine early Sunday marked a new record for the use of drones and missiles, hitting the headquarters of the government in Kyiv for the first time and leaving at least two people dead, including a newborn. This episode, considered the most serious since the start of the war in February 2022, has sparked a wave of international condemnation and renewed calls for tougher sanctions on Russia and stronger military support for Ukraine.
The scale of the attack and the fact that the government headquarters had been hit for the first time sparked a strong international reaction. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen denounced the Kremlin as"a mockery of diplomacy, a trampling on international law, and a murderous act of violence." She reiterated Europe's commitment to continue supporting Ukraine, strengthening its armed forces, and tightening sanctions against Russia.
European Council President António Costa, meanwhile, condemned Putin's"version of peace" and stressed the need to maintain pressure on Moscow through additional sanctions and the strengthening of Ukraine's defenses.
French President Emmanuel Macron called the attack a sign that Russia “is increasingly entrenched in the logic of war and terror” and reaffirmed the determination of Ukraine’s allies to work for a just and lasting peace. The French leader held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following the attack and recalled that days earlier, Paris hosted a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, at which 26 countries pledged to provide security guarantees to Kyiv in the event of a ceasefire, including the deployment of troops and the strengthening of air defenses.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also expressed this opinion, stating that"Russia seems more interested in increasing the ferocity of its attacks against Ukraine than in negotiating a way to end hostilities."
"In solidarity with the Ukrainian people, Italy, together with its Western partners, will continue to do its part to ensure that the reasons for a just and lasting peace prevail over those of indiscriminate aggression," he added in an official statement.
“I am appalled by the latest brutal overnight attack on Kyiv and across Ukraine,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement. He added: “These cowardly attacks show that Putin believes he can act with impunity. He is not serious about peace.”
From Spain, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares expressed his"firm condemnation" of the attack and expressed his solidarity with the victims, the government, and the Ukrainian people. His Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, expressed his gratitude for the support and stressed the importance of tougher sanctions and strengthening Ukraine's defensive capabilities.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko urged the international community to increase pressure on Russia, especially in the energy sector, and to supply more weapons to Ukraine."New restrictions are needed to hit the Kremlin's military machine," she said, stressing that the country needs additional defense systems to curb attacks.
According to Ukrainian authorities, the attack involved more than 800 drones and a dozen missiles, surpassing the previous record of 741 drones set on July 9. The capital was primarily targeted, although other cities including Odessa, Zaporizhzhia, Kremenchuk, Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk, and Sumi were also hit. The roof and upper floors of the Cabinet of Ministers headquarters were damaged, and footage released by Ukraine's State Emergency Service showed fires and shattered windows. It has not yet been confirmed whether the government building was directly targeted or whether the damage was caused by drone fragments or intercepted missiles.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitchko confirmed the deaths of two people, a young woman and her two-month-old son, and said rescue operations were continuing at a severely damaged residential building, where people may still be trapped. In total, 20 people were injured in the capital, seven of them hospitalized, including a pregnant woman. In other regions, 32 injuries and damage to infrastructure were reported.
The diplomatic context in which the attack took place adds complexity to the situation. While US President Donald Trump seeks to bring Zelensky and Putin to the negotiating table, the European Union is preparing its nineteenth package of sanctions, and a European delegation traveled to Washington to coordinate possible new measures. However, the Kremlin has made it clear that it is not willing to negotiate under the current conditions and will only accept peace on its own terms, considering its Ukrainian counterpart illegitimate.
Since the beginning of the conflict, Russia has intensified its use of drones and missiles, surpassing previous records and demonstrating, according to Ukrainian authorities, its lack of will to achieve peace. In this context, kyiv's demand is clear: the provision of additional defense systems is vital to protect the civilian population from the escalating attacks.
