Hundreds of unmanned aircraft, dozens of rockets — Russia kills a 12-year-old, three other civilians, injures dozens (updated)

Sep 28, 2025 - 08:02

hundreds unmanned aircraft dozens rockets — russia’s night combined strikes brings mounting civilian casualties fire apartment building kyiv overnight 28 2025 e2cab704-a9d5-4fb1-9ca7-0fd24477236c reports dead injured come zaporizhzhia ukraine news ukrainian

Russia launched a massive combined missile and drone attack on Ukrainian cities overnight on 28 September. Ukrainian officials and emergency services reported that the assault killed at least four civilians—including a 12-year-old girl—and injured dozens more across several oblasts. The attack lasted through the entire night, and some drones were still airborne at the time of reporting.

Every night, Russia sends around a hundred explosive long-range drones into Ukrainian airspace. But in major assaults like this one, the drones number in the hundreds and are reinforced by dozens of cruise missiles. Last night, Russia used Kh‑101/55 and Kalibr missiles, along with Shahed and Gerbera drones.

Kyiv city

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote that nearly 20 impact locations were recorded in six districts of the capital. He said eight people were injured, seven of them hospitalized, and one woman treated at the scene. In Solomianskyi district a five‑story residential building suffered partial collapse, and rescuers removed the body of a 12‑year‑old girl from the rubble. Klitschko added that debris and strikes damaged parked cars, a kindergarten, detached homes, and non‑residential buildings in Darniytskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, Holosiivskyi, Dniprovskiy, and Obolonskyi districts. Fires broke out at a state medical facility and residential buildings but were localized.

At 9:00 Kyiv City Military Administration confirmed up to ten injured and three dead, including the 12‑year‑old girl. It reported that a kindergarten and the Institute of Cardiology were damaged. The DSNS emergency service at the same time said Russia’s overnight attack hit residential buildings and civilian infrastructure. In Solomianskyi district two people were found dead at the Institute of Cardiology, three rescued, and one injured. Debris caused fires in other districts and damaged detached houses.

Later, the Emergency Service updated that the fourth killed civilian was discovered.

Kyiv Oblast

Head of Kyiv Oblast Military Administration Mykola Kalashnyk said Russia attacked Kyiv Oblast overnight with strike drones and cruise missiles. The Russian assault injured seven people, including five bread plant workers in Fastiv district. Fires broke out at the plant and a detached home. In Bila Tserkva the roof of a nine‑story residential building caught fire and six cars were damaged. Two women aged 56 and 47 suffered acute stress reactions. In Bucha district a non‑residential building, detached houses, and two cars burned. In Obukhiv district debris fell on a utility building, sparking a fire.

Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration Ivan Fedorov said nine detached houses and 14 multi‑story buildings were damaged in Dniprovskiy and Shevchenkivskyi districts of Zaporizhzhia. He reported three injured initially and later four after another woman sought medical help.

City council secretary Regina Kharchenko said more than 10 roofs were damaged and municipal crews were preparing to cover them. Fedorov added that at least four strikes hit the city, damaging a gas station and its equipment.

The Interior Ministry reported later that Russian shelling in Zaporizhzhia injured 21 people, including two children. A missile struck near a nine-story residential building, igniting a fire.

Other cities

In Khmelnytskyi oblast, head of the Oblast Military Administration Serhii Tiurin said residents heard explosions during air alerts but there were no injuries or destruction. He attributed the sounds to air defense activity and the successful downing of aerial targets.

In Sumy Suspilne correspondents reported an explosion at 7:17. Local authorities reported that Russian strikes set fire to seven trucks.

Poland scrambles jets but doesn’t shoot down anything in Ukraine

In Poland, the Operational Command of the Armed Forces announced that due to Russian long‑range aviation activity striking Ukraine, Polish and allied aircraft began operating in Polish airspace. Fighter pairs were scrambled, and ground‑based air defense and radar reconnaissance forces reached the highest readiness.

Weapons and timing of the attack

Ukrainian airspace monitoring Telegram channel Monitor reported at 8:30 that Russia used Kh‑101/55 cruise missiles launched from Tu‑95MS aircraft over Saratov Oblast and the Caspian region, Kalibr cruise missiles from the Black Sea near Novorossiysk, and Shahed‑Geran, Gerbera, and decoy‑type drones. It said Kyiv, Kyiv agglomeration, Bila Tserkva, Starokostiantyniv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia were under attack. The channel described the strike as combined, timed so different air‑attack weapons approached simultaneously. Drones began at 21:00 on 27 September for more than 11 hours at the time of Monitor’s report; missiles struck from 05:19 to 06:51 for 1 hour 32 minutes.

Update:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported:

“A massive Russian attack on Ukraine lasted more than 12 hours. Brutal strikes — deliberate and targeted terror against ordinary cities: nearly 500 attack drones and over 40 missiles, including Kinzhals. In the morning, Russian-Iranian Shaheds were once again in our skies.”

Zelenskyy said that Russia concentrated its strikes on Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast, as well as Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, and Odesa regions. He confirmed that in Kyiv, Russian fire damaged the building of the Institute of Cardiology. As of now, at least four people were killed in the capital, including a 12-year-old girl. Zelenskyy expressed his condolences to the victims’ families.

He added that, across Ukraine, at least 40 people had been injured, including children. Russian attacks also targeted a bread production facility, a car tire plant, residential buildings — both private and multi-storey — and other civilian infrastructure. Emergency services were working at all affected locations, he said.

“This treacherous attack took place right as the UN General Assembly week came to an end — and this is how Russia declares its true position. Moscow wants to keep waging war and killing, and it deserves only the harshest pressure from the world,” the President added.

Additional update: Air Force confirms 611 aerial targets downed or suppressed

At 10:52, the Ukrainian Air Force reported that between 20:30 on 27 September and the morning of 28 September, Russia launched a massive air assault involving 643 aerial threats. These included:

593 strike drones (Shahed, Gerbera, and others) from Russian territory and occupied Crimea,
2 “Banderol” jet drones from Kursk Oblast,
2 Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missiles from Lipetsk Oblast,
38 Kh-101 cruise missiles from Saratov Oblast,
8 Kalibr missiles from the Black Sea.

Kyiv was the primary target. Air defense forces—including aircraft, missile units, EW systems, drones, and mobile fire groups—engaged throughout the night.

By 10:30, 611 targets had been shot down or suppressed:

566 strike drones,
2 “Banderol” drones,
35 Kh-101 missiles,
8 Kalibr missiles.

Authorities recorded 5 missile impacts and 31 drone strikes across 16 locations, with debris falling in 25 others.

The Air Force warned the attack was ongoing, with hostile drones still active in Ukrainian airspace.

Update: 31 injured in Kyiv Oblast

The Emergency Service reported 31 injured in Kyiv Oblast, including three children. Fires and destruction were recorded in Bila Tserkva, Fastiv, Bucha, Obukhiv, and Boryspil districts. Response teams are still working in Bucha and Bila Tserkva.