Russia’s Night Strike on Kyiv Leaves 28 Dead as Ukraine Concludes Exhaustive Rescue Effort
Emergency responders in Kyiv have concluded a massive 39-hour search and rescue operation at the site of a residential building destroyed by a Russian missile strike in the city’s Solomianskyi district.
The June 17 attack, one of the deadliest in recent months, killed 28 people across the capital and injured over 140.
The Gaze reports on this development with reference to the official statement posted by Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko.
At the Solomianskyi site alone, rescuers recovered the bodies of 23 victims from beneath the ruins of the nine-story apartment block.
Two people were found alive and pulled from the debris, while nearly 50 others were safely evacuated from severely damaged apartments.
More than 400 personnel from Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (SES) were involved in the around-the-clock operation, aided by over 200 units of specialized equipment including drones, thermal cameras, rescue dogs, and heavy machinery.
Structural engineers continue to work at the scene to dismantle unstable remains of the building.
In total, Kyiv authorities have already received nearly 500 reports of property damage following the massive aerial bombardment, which combined both missiles and drones. “This is not just a local tragedy – it is a deep national pain,” Klymenko said. “Our emergency teams exhausted every resource to save lives and provide support. We are immensely grateful for their bravery and tireless work.”
Over 300 law enforcement officers remain stationed at the scene to ensure public safety and to document destruction.
The missile struck during early morning hours, targeting residential buildings while most residents were still asleep – a pattern Ukrainian officials say amounts to deliberate terror tactics.
“Attacking cities and homes where people are peacefully sleeping is outright terrorism,” Klymenko noted. “And the synonym for terrorism is Russia.”
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