Russia carried out what Ukrainian officials called a massive overnight attack on Kyiv and the surrounding region, leaving 18 people hospitalised across three districts of the capital, according to city and national officials.
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Key facts
- Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said 18 people were hospitalised after the overnight attacks.
- Emergency and clean-up response continued across three districts of the city.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia had been preparing the assault for a long time.
- Zelenskyy said the attack combined different types of missiles.
Russia launched what Ukrainian officials described as a massive overnight attack on Kyiv and the surrounding region, according to a live report by the Guardian published on 20 August 2026.
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said 18 people had been hospitalised following the attacks. In a video posted on Telegram, he said emergency and clean-up operations were continuing at various sites across three districts of the city.
“The capital is recovering from a massive enemy attack,” Klitschko said, according to the Guardian.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia had been preparing the assault for a long time, and that the attack combined different types of missiles, the Guardian reported.
The report indicated that response efforts were ongoing at the time of publication, with authorities working across multiple sites in the capital. No further details on the full extent of damage or casualties beyond the hospitalisations were provided in the source.
Why it matters
Attacks on Kyiv underscore the continuing danger to civilians in Ukraine's capital and the persistence of the conflict. The scale described by officials, and the use of combined missile types, points to the sustained pressure Ukraine faces.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were injured in the Kyiv attack?
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said 18 people were hospitalised after the overnight attacks, according to the Guardian.
What did President Zelenskyy say about the attack?
Zelenskyy said Russia had been preparing the assault for a long time and that it combined different types of missiles.
Where in Kyiv did the attack cause damage?
Emergency and clean-up response was continuing at various sites across three districts of the city, according to Mayor Klitschko.
Timeline
- Russia launches ‘massive attack’ on Kyiv and surrounding region – Europe live
The Guardian World: Zelenskyy says Russia had been preparing for a long time, combining different types of missiles Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said 18 people have been hospitalised after the overnight attacks, with emergency and clean-up response continuing at various sites across three districts o