Three Waves, 21 Ballistic Missiles: Russia Bombs Kyiv Hours After Talks

Three Waves, 21 Ballistic Missiles: Russia Bombs Kyiv Hours After Talks

Twenty-one missiles in three waves

Russia struck Kyiv with ballistic missiles and attack drones in the hours after midnight on October 22, in one of the heaviest barrages against the Ukrainian capital this year. Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces fired 21 ballistic missiles in three waves, beginning on the evening of October 21 and landing around 22:00, roughly 02:00 and about 03:30.

One dead, 24 injured in the capital

The Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office said the overnight attack killed one person and injured 24 others, including seven children, as of 9:30 a.m. The interior ministry's earlier count was one dead and 22 injured, four of them children, with figures rising as rescue work continues.

Six districts hit, metro line severed

The Kyiv City Military Administration reported damage across six districts of the capital. An ambulance station building and six ambulances were destroyed in the Pecherskyi district, though no medical personnel were hurt. Metro infrastructure on the Pivdennyi Bridge over the Dnipro River was damaged, restricting traffic from the right bank toward the left bank.

Shopping centres, a monastery and homes

In the Obolonskyi district, the Epicentr DIY hypermarket on Pochayna Street took severe damage, with fire partially destroying the building. At the neighbouring Retail Park shopping complex, the JYSK store was completely destroyed, along with Puma, Colin's and Nova Poshta premises and the site management office. A monastery and several private homes were also wrecked.

Zelenskyy calls it a "demonstrative strike"

"Three waves of ballistic missiles have been launched at Kyiv by Russian 'humanists' since yesterday evening," Zelenskyy wrote. "Practically immediately after another round of talks, Russia carried out a demonstrative strike. This means that there are no real changes in its attitude." He argued that genuine pressure on Moscow, stronger air defences and faster missile supplies were needed.

The attack came hours after the talks

The day before the barrage, US envoy Steve Witkoff met President Vladimir Putin at the Constantine Palace in St. Petersburg. Associated Press reported that Putin agreed in principle to resume three-way negotiations between Russia, Ukraine and the United States after November 10. The bombardment followed within hours of that announcement.

A cluster warhead over the historic centre

Serhii Beskrestnov, known by his callsign "Flash" and an adviser to Zelenskyy on defence technologies, said Russia struck Kyiv's historic centre with an Iskander ballistic missile carrying a K5 cluster warhead. It detonates above the ground, dispersing submunitions across an area of 400 by 400 metres, with 58 bomblets exploding in the air.

More than 200 drones launched overnight

Ukraine's Air Force said Russia used Iskander-M, S-400, Zircon and Onyx missiles and launched 210 attack drones across Ukraine, 110 of them jet-powered Shaheds. Ukrainian air defences destroyed 181 drones, including 87 jet-powered ones, with strikes recorded at 32 locations.

Russia says it downed 808 drones

The Russian Defence Ministry said its air defences intercepted 808 Ukrainian drones over Moscow and other cities, while Ukraine struck deep into Kursk, Bryansk and Rostov regions. In Lipetsk, Governor Igor Artamonov said drones hit apartment buildings and a medical facility, injuring one man.

The ceasefire timetable is under strain

Power outages were reported in the Kyiv region and in six other Ukrainian oblasts, with rolling hourly blackouts of up to two rounds in some areas. The attack landed hours after the most promising diplomatic opening in weeks, and both sides hit the other's capital and interior in the same night. Whether the three-way talks scheduled after November 10 can hold now looks considerably less certain.