Kyiv Mourns as Russian Missile Strike Claims Lives of 31, Including Children

Ukrainian rescue teams discovered the body of a two-year-old child on Friday as they wrapped up their operations following a Russian missile attack that took the lives of 31 individuals in Kyiv a day prior.

The capital entered a day of mourning in response to this year’s most lethal assault on the city, which left a nine-story residential building heavily damaged, injured 159 people, and resulted in the deaths of five children.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remarked on Friday that this «appalling assault by Russia» highlights the urgent need for increased pressure and sanctions on Moscow, announcing the completion of rescue efforts.

«We are grateful that President Trump, European officials, and our other allies are clearly aware of the situation and have condemned Russia,» he stated.

EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas characterized the Russian bombardments as «wicked» and posted an image of the bloc’s flag at half-mast.

«Providing more arms to Ukraine and implementing stricter sanctions on Russia are the quickest routes to ending the conflict. Rapidly enhancing Ukraine’s air defense systems is our top priority,» she emphasized.

In other areas, Russian assaults persisted throughout Ukraine.

According to the regional military administration, one individual was killed in an early Friday strike on the city of Zaporizhzhia. Another life was lost in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, while the death toll from a separate attack on Kramatorsk on Thursday climbed to three.

Thursday’s onslaught was one of the most catastrophic to strike Kyiv since Russia initiated its large-scale invasion in February 2022.