“Nonstop Hell Over Kyiv”: Russia’s Two-Day Drone and Missile Blitz Kills 12, Levels Apartments.

Over the past two nights, Russia has unleashed what Ukrainian officials are calling a “massive and virtually nonstop” aerial assault on Kyiv and other major cities. Entire residential buildings have been reduced to rubble in the capital.

According to Ukrainian authorities, more than 1,500 drones and over 50 missiles were fired in just 48 hours.

Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said at least 12 people died in the capital, including a 15-year-old girl killed when an apartment building was leveled overnight. Another 57 were injured, with 27 still hospitalized.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he met with his top staff Thursday to discuss the onslaught. “This is a deliberate terrorist tactic by the Russians,” he wrote on X. “They stockpiled drones and missiles over time and intentionally timed the strike to be massive, creating maximum difficulties for our air defense.”

He added that 20 locations in Kyiv were hit, including a school and a veterinary clinic. While 94% of the drones were intercepted, only 73% of the missiles were shot down — a gap Zelenskyy acknowledged needs fixing.

Zelenskyy accused Moscow of timing the attack to coincide with President Trump’s visit to China. “It’s no coincidence that one of the longest Russian attacks happens exactly when the U.S. president arrives in Beijing,” he said. “Russia is trying to disrupt the political atmosphere at the cost of Ukrainian lives and infrastructure.”

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters after a Victory Day parade that he believes the war “is coming to an end” after more than four years. “The matter is serious, but it’s nearing the end,” he said.

Asked about Putin’s comment as he left for China, Trump sounded optimistic: “The end of the war in Ukraine — I really think it’s getting close.”

But Zelenskyy isn’t buying it. “Russia chose to end the partial silence that lasted several days” during the Victory Day pause, he said. “Russia must end this war and take the step toward a real, lasting ceasefire.”

On Wednesday, Zelenskyy met with leaders from Finland, Romania, Latvia, Poland, and Lithuania at a summit in Bucharest to discuss next steps toward ending the war.