Russian drone and missile attacks hit Kyiv as Zelensky calls for de-escalation
Russian attacks struck Kyiv in repeated waves on September 23, damaging buildings and infrastructure and causing deaths and injuries. Ukraine’s Air Force later warned of ballistic missiles heading toward the city, while President Volodymyr Zelensky called for de-escalation before winter and warned that AI could soon influence battlefield decisions.
Countries involved Ukraine · 3 outletsRussia · 2 outlets
First reported among our outlets by The Kyiv Independent (Ukraine), · most coverage from Ukraine (2), United States (1), Saudi Arabia (1), Russia (1)
What the parties said
Ukraine
Russia continues to turn civilian and critical infrastructure into targets: pharmaceutical facilities, gas stations, railways, communications infrastructure, and shopping malls,
De-escalation steps are important, are needed before winter, now.
A ballistic missile struck our main production facility and the TK-Domashnii Tekstyl logistics warehouse.
Coverage
The Kyiv Independent · Ukraine23 Sep 05:02Waves of Russian drones hammer Kyiv, 2 dead, 43 injured, historic market set ablaze
It turned out to be just a Shahed, and it struck somewhere nearby,
Ukrainska Pravda · Ukraine23 Sep 21:56Russia launches ballistic missile attack on Kyiv, numerous explosions heard
At around 02:00, the Air Force reported that more ballistic missiles were heading towards Kyiv.
1 more from Ukrainska Pravda
Russian missile destroys textile factory in Kyiv
Ukrinform · Ukraine24 Sep 05:38Zelensky names three areas discussed in New York for moving toward ceasefire
According to Zelensky, 60% of the ballistic missiles targeting Kyiv on Wednesday had been shot down.
RIA Novosti · Russia24 Sep 12:17Disruptions to internet providers’ services reported in Ukraine
TASS · Russia23 Sep 10:36Russian forces strike Ukraine’s logistics centers, energy facilities, defense enterprises
Explosions in Kiev damaged a warehouse, the city’s military administration said.
UN official calls for efforts toward immediate ceasefire in Ukraine
following Russian air and missile strikes across Kyiv, Ukraine, September 23, 2026.
The Guardian · United Kingdom23 Sep 18:09‘We hope he’ll accept’: US invites Putin to G20 summit at Trump golf club
A petrol station, warehouses, a business centre and a transport infrastructure building were hit, according to Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko.
Okaz · Saudi Arabia23 Sep 09:47Moscow expands strikes on Ukraine… One killed aboard ship and fires in Odesa
CBC News · Canada23 Sep 12:52Zelenskyy addresses UN as Rubio of U.S. says Ukraine, Russia have interest in limited ceasefire
Trump said last week that Ukraine and Russia had agreed not to strike energy targets
PBS NewsHour · United States23 Sep 22:55At UN General Assembly, Iran's president responds to Trump's 'annihilation' threat
As early as next year, there is already a real possibility that AI, not only people, will begin -- will begin to decide what happens on the battlefield.
The Hindu · India23 Sep 10:04Russian attacks injure 7 across Ukraine and damage structures
The Kyiv City Military Administration said three people were injured in the city and added that a warehouse in Kyiv's Holosiivskyi district was damaged and caught fire, while a…
Where accounts differ
Reported death and injury toll in Kyiv
Earlier accounts gave smaller figures, including three people injured, one death and eight injuries by mid-morning, and two deaths with 22 injuries in the morning attack.
The Kyiv City Military Administration said three people were injured in the city and added that a warehouse in Kyiv's Holosiivskyi district was damaged and caught fire, while a…
By 5 p.m. local time, Klitschko said two people had been killed and at least 43 injured.
Russian drone strikes killed two people and injured at least 43 as of 5:00 p.m. local time, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
Russian drone strikes killed two people and injured at least 43 as of 5:00 p.m. local time