KYIV, Ukraine (BN24) — European leaders voiced outrage Thursday after a wave of Russian missile strikes killed at least 15 people, including four children, and severely damaged the European Union’s diplomatic mission in Kyiv. The overnight assault was the deadliest Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital since July and drew swift condemnation from EU and UK officials who accused Moscow of deliberately undermining peace efforts.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the missile barrage as “another grim reminder” of Russia’s willingness to escalate its war on Ukraine without regard for civilians or diplomatic norms. The attack destroyed a five-story residential building in Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district and damaged both the EU delegation’s office and the British Council, which is located in the same complex.
“Two missiles hit within 50 meters of the EU delegation in just 20 seconds,” von der Leyen said in a statement. “Russia will stop at nothing to terrorize Ukraine—killing men, women, and children, and now targeting EU institutions.”
Ukrainian officials confirmed the death toll and said dozens more were injured when one of the missiles ripped through the residential block around 3 a.m. Rescue crews continued searching through the smoldering rubble Thursday morning, fearing that some of the building’s ten residents remained trapped beneath the debris.
Among the victims were children aged 2, 14, and 17. Several other minors were also injured. The airstrike came just a day after Russian drones crippled Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, leaving over 100,000 homes without power. A further 60,000 people in the central Vinnytsia region lost electricity following the latest wave of attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strikes were a direct response to renewed international efforts toward diplomacy. “The Kremlin chose ballistics instead of the negotiating table,” he said. “This is Russia’s answer to calls for a ceasefire and real diplomacy.”
The missile assault followed a U.S.-led push for high-level negotiations to end the war, including efforts by former President Donald Trump to bring Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to the table. Trump had previously met Putin in Alaska and later hosted Zelensky in Washington. Despite Zelensky’s support for the initiative, the Kremlin downplayed any possibility of a summit between the two leaders.
European Council President António Costa called the attack “horrifying,” while UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer accused Moscow of “sabotaging hopes of peace.” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the missile strikes were “a deliberate choice to escalate and mock peace efforts.”
The European Union summoned the Russian chargé d’affaires in Brussels in protest, with a spokesperson reiterating that no diplomatic mission should be targeted. The UK also summoned Russian Ambassador Andrey Kelin to its Foreign Office in response.
Von der Leyen announced that the EU is finalizing its 19th sanctions package against Russia and will continue increasing pressure on the Kremlin. She also revealed plans to visit seven EU member states bordering Russia and Belarus in the coming days, starting with Latvia and Finland, followed by Estonia, Poland, Bulgaria, Lithuania, and Romania.
Meanwhile, U.S. officials are set to meet a Ukrainian delegation in New York on Friday to discuss further security guarantees, including military, economic, and political support. Zelensky also held talks in Kyiv with the UK’s Chief of the Defence Staff, Adm. Sir Tony Radakin, to coordinate future defense strategies.
While the Kremlin insists it remains open to negotiations, Moscow has rejected the presence of European troops in Ukraine, calling such discussions without Russia’s involvement “a road to nowhere.” As civilian casualties mount and diplomatic efforts falter, the prospects for peace remain grim in a war entering its fourth year.
Credit: BBC
