London — Ukrainian military and civilian officials said Russia fired more than 100 drones in a nighttime attack over New Year’s Day in Kiev, killing one person and injuring at least six others, including a pregnant woman.
“There are no holidays in war. It is neither sacred nor inviolable for Russia,” Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said. “This policy spares no one, kills people even in the midst of New Year celebrations, and starts a dangerous countdown from the first day. Don’t allow it to happen.”
The Ukrainian Air Force said at least 111 attack drones were launched into 10 regions across Ukraine, including the capital. According to the military, Ukraine shot down 63 drones and 46 others failed to hit their targets.
“As the world enters the first day of a new year, Russia launched 111 drones against the people of Ukraine,” U.S. Ambassador Bridget A. Brink said on social media. “We are grateful to our Air Defense personnel and first responders whose tireless and heroic actions protected us all.”
In this January 1, 2025 photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, a residential building is seen damaged by a Russian drone attack in the center of Kiev, Ukraine.
Ukraine Emergency Service/AP
Ruslan Stefanchuk, the speaker of Ukraine’s parliament, said that Ukraine had started the new year under “another large-scale air attack.”
“These inhumans decided to give us a hot start to the year and continued to attack civilians like real weaklings and cowards,” Stefanchuk said on social media. “We pray for the victim’s speedy recovery.”
Smoke rises from residential buildings damaged by Russian drone strikes on January 1, 2025 in Kiev, Ukraine, during the Russian offensive on Ukraine.
Valentin Ogilenko/Reuters
Air raid sirens sounded in Kiev before sunrise, prompting people to head to evacuation centers, the Kyiv State Administration said.
Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a post in Ukrainian on the messaging app Telegram that most of the injured were in the city center’s Pechersky district, where the strike caused an apartment fire.
Firefighters work at the scene of a building damaged by a Russian drone attack during the Russian offensive against Ukraine in central Kiev, Ukraine, on January 1, 2025.
Ukraine State Emergency Service, via Reuters
“Two of them were hospitalized and two received medical treatment on the spot,” Klitschko said. City officials said in a statement that a pregnant woman was among the injured.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that one person was killed in the attack on a residential building.
Klitschko added that falling debris broke windows, caused a fire in the garage and damaged a tram in the West Svyatoshinsky district.
“The air attack was repulsed by aviation units, anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare units, air forces and mobile fire groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the air force said in a statement.
