A large-scale overnight missile and drone offensive by Russia has left at least 10 people dead and 56 others injured in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.

The attack caused widespread destruction across the city, damaging residential buildings and other infrastructure. One nine-storey apartment block suffered a direct strike, leading to the collapse of several floors. Authorities said two children were among those wounded.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that the bombardment inflicted severe damage on residential areas, while the head of the city’s military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, reported that no fewer than 36 locations were affected during the assault.

Officials accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilian neighbourhoods, saying the strikes resulted in heavy casualties and extensive destruction across the capital.

The bombardment followed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to shorten his visit to Ireland after intelligence indicated that Russia was preparing a major overnight offensive.

As air raid sirens echoed across the country, residents rushed into underground metro stations and shelters, many carrying children, pets and emergency supplies.

Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna, described the attack as another devastating night for Kyiv residents, many of whom were forced to remain in shelters until morning.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said the operation targeted military facilities, energy infrastructure around Kyiv, and airfields located in the Poltava and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Moscow stated that the strikes were carried out in response to recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Ukraine announced that its forces had launched a retaliatory strike on the Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez oil refinery in Kstovo, located in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region.

According to Ukraine’s General Staff, the attack hit a key crude oil processing unit at the refinery, although officials said the full extent of the damage is still being assessed.