(BBC News) The head of the European Union’s executive commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has spoken of her outrage at Russia’s deadliest onslaught on Kyiv since July – which also damaged the EU’s delegation office in the Ukrainian capital.
At least 21 people, including four children, were killed and dozens more wounded in the bombardment, Ukrainian officials said.
A five-storey residential building was destroyed, and the EU mission and nearby British Council were damaged.
In a statement, von der Leyen said that Russian missiles struck in close proximity to the diplomatic mission: “Two missiles hit in a distance of 50 metres of the delegation within 20 seconds.”
Ukrainian forces said Russia had fired almost 600 drones and more than 30 ballistic and cruise missiles – the biggest attack on the capital this month.
Many of those killed were in the five-storey residential building in the south-eastern Darnytskyi district on Kyiv’s left bank.
A missile tore through the block of flats at about 03:00, causing it to collapse.
Diggers removed rubble, and rescue workers clambered on top of smouldering parts of the building looking for survivors.
Officials said three of the children killed were aged two, 14 and 17. Several other youngsters were wounded.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer accused Russia’s Vladimir Putin of “sabotaging hopes of peace”, while EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said they showed “a deliberate choice to escalate and mock peace efforts.”
Moscow had chosen “ballistics instead of the negotiating table,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who reiterated the need for “new, tough sanctions” on Russia.
