NEW DELHI: Russian forces launched a devastating wave of drone and missile strikes against the Ukrainian capital early Thursday, killing at least 10 people and wounding more than 50 others. The assault, which struck multiple residential neighborhoods, was described by Moscow as retaliation for recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian civil infrastructure.

The overnight bombardment prompted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to cut short an official visit to Dublin, where he had arrived to mark the start of Ireland’s six-month term in the rotating presidency of the European Union. Zelenskiy had warned citizens of a potential major aerial attack hours before the strikes began.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the death toll on the Telegram messaging app, reporting that a direct hit from a Russian projectile caused the partial collapse of six floors of a residential apartment building.

As the sun rose over Kyiv, fires flared across the city. Reuters video footage from the scene showed emergency service crews frantically working through the smoking rubble of what used to be a nine-story apartment building, searching for survivors.

Tymur Tkachenko, head of the capital’s military administration, stated that 56 people—including two children—were injured in the attacks. He noted that the strikes caused widespread destruction, damaging three dozen locations across the city.

“The enemy has once again deliberately targeted residential neighborhoods and killed civilians," Tkachenko wrote on Telegram. "We have sustained extensive damage and a significant number of casualties, including children.”