Five killed in strike on Russia’s Kursk after deadly missile attack on Kyiv
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Five people have been killed in a Ukrainian missile strike on Russia’s Kursk region, while tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalate with attacks on both sides. This strike follows a deadly Russian missile attack on Kyiv, which resulted in significant damage to a building housing multiple embassies.
The attack on Russia’s Kursk region occurred on Friday afternoon at approximately 15:30 local time (12:30 GMT), with Ukrainian forces targeting the town of Rylsk, which is just 25 kilometers (16 miles) from the Ukrainian border. Russian authorities confirmed that the missile strike killed five people, with an additional nine wounded, some critically. Initial reports had indicated six fatalities, including a child, but an updated statement from the acting governor of Kursk, Alexander Khinshtein, clarified that no children were among the dead. The attack caused damage to multiple structures in the town, including a cultural center, fitness complex, school, and several homes.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials confirmed that Russia had launched another missile attack on Kyiv, damaging a building that hosted embassies from several countries, including Albania, Argentina, North Macedonia, Palestine, Portugal, and Montenegro. Ukrainian military sources reported that at least one person was killed and nine others injured in the attack. Fortunately, none of the diplomats working in the affected embassies were reported as hurt. The strike led to significant damage in Kyiv, including to St. Nicholas Cathedral, one of the city’s oldest Roman Catholic churches, whose windows were shattered by the nearby blast.
The Ukrainian military reported that Russia launched 65 drones and missiles overnight across the country, with most of these intercepted by Ukrainian air defenses. However, the aftermath of the missile attack on Kyiv left visible destruction, with residents sharing harrowing accounts of the damage. One man, whose restaurant was severely damaged, was filmed expressing his anger, calling the Russians “beasts” as he surveyed the charred remains of his business. Oksana, a local resident, sent photos to the BBC showing the destruction of her apartment, with walls and windows blown in. She said, “I don’t understand how I survived,” adding that her balcony had been torn away and that her neighbor was too shocked to speak.
A local journalist noted that one of the buildings hit in Kyiv was likely used by the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), which may have been the intended target of the Russian missile strike. However, much of the damage appeared to affect residential areas, leading to further civilian casualties. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that the missile strike on Kyiv was a retaliatory measure in response to an attack on a chemical plant in Russia’s Rostov region two days earlier, suggesting an escalating cycle of attacks between the two nations.
The heightened tensions surrounding the attack on Kyiv are further compounded by speculation that it could be linked to the recent killing of Russian General Igor Kirillov, who was assassinated in Moscow earlier in the week. Many in Kyiv also fear that Russia could use more advanced weaponry, including the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, against the Ukrainian capital. Russia test-fired the Oreshnik missile earlier this month in Dnipro, prompting Ukrainian authorities to issue an air alert on Friday morning, warning citizens of the potential missile launch. This alarm turned out to be a false warning, but the anxiety over further missile attacks remains high.
Friday’s events unfolded just one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s end-of-year press conference, in which he warned that Russia would launch more ballistic missile strikes on Ukraine. The rhetoric from Putin has raised concerns that these attacks will escalate further, targeting critical infrastructure and increasing civilian casualties. The conflict shows no signs of abating, with both sides continuing to suffer heavy losses as missile strikes, air raids, and artillery bombardments persist across Ukraine and parts of Russia.
The situation in Kyiv and the Kursk region highlights the ongoing toll of the war, with each side retaliating against the other in a pattern of violence that affects both military and civilian infrastructure. The casualties from both sides underscore the brutal nature of the conflict, and the situation remains perilous as the war progresses.
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