Russian overnight missile and drone attack hits Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine
Russia launched missiles and drones at Ukraine beginning on the evening of September 23, with Kyiv and Odesa regions among the main targets. In Kyiv, ballistic missile strikes killed two people and injured eight; reports also described damage across the Kyiv region and strikes at locations elsewhere in the country.
Key points
- The overnight attack involved Zircon and Iskander-M missiles and 282 attack drones; Ukrainian reports said hits were recorded at 13 locations.
Evidence · 4 source statements
Russia attacked Ukraine with Zircon anti-ship missiles, Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 282 drones of various types on the night of 23-24 September.
Beginning at 18:00 on Wednesday, September 23, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with Zircon anti-ship missiles launched from the Kursk, Rostov and Oryol regions;…
Hits by aerial assets have been recorded at 13 locations and the fall of downed aerial assets (debris) at 10 locations.
Hits were recorded at 13 locations, while falling debris from downed targets was reported at another 10 locations.
- Kyiv suffered two deaths and eight injuries from ballistic missile strikes, while regional authorities reported damage to homes, vehicles and other sites in the surrounding Kyiv region.
Evidence · 6 source statements
Two people were killed and eight others injured in Kyiv, where Russian ballistic missiles struck the capital in three waves overnight.
ballistic missile strikes killed two people and injured eight others, causing damage and fires in three districts
Russian attacks in Kyiv region damage eight sites, one person injured
In Bucha district, five private houses and a car were damaged.
In the Fastiv district, one vehicle was damaged.
In the Boryspil district, a private house was damaged.
- Ukraine’s president called for ballistic missile interceptors and said Russia’s continued attacks reflected insufficient pressure on Moscow.
Evidence · 2 source statements
"Every such attack happens because pressure on the aggressor has still not become total, and Russia believes it can continue relying on ballistic terror,"
"We need ballistic missile interceptors to protect lives."
Who's involved
Volodymyr Zelensky
Ukraine’s president, whose country was attacked.
Zelensky said pressure on Russia was not yet total and that Russia believed it could continue using ballistic attacks. He said Ukraine needed ballistic missile interceptors to protect lives.
What they said · 2 source statements
"Every such attack happens because pressure on the aggressor has still not become total, and Russia believes it can continue relying on ballistic terror,"
"We need ballistic missile interceptors to protect lives."
Vitali Klitschko
Kyiv’s mayor, communicating with residents during the attack on the capital.
Klitschko said Kyiv was under ballistic missile attack and urged people to remain in shelters.
What they said · 2 source statements
The capital is under a ballistic missile attack.
Stay in shelters!
Russian Defense Ministry
A Russian government body commenting on the targets of strikes.
The ministry said strikes hit facilities connected to producing drones, including a warehouse and an industrial enterprise.
What they said · 1 source statement
As a result of the strike, the following targets in Kiev and the Kiev region were hit: a warehouse storing materials for drone production and an industrial enterprise (Tukans…
Pascal Confavreux
A spokesperson for France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, commenting on Russia’s conduct.
Confavreux said continuing Russian strikes showed that Russia was not ready to make peace or negotiate.
What they said · 1 source statement
“The continuation of Russian strikes on Ukraine in recent days, including last night, shows that at this stage Russia is in fact not ready to make peace and sit down at the…
Where accounts differ
Damage and injuries in Kyiv region
- A report on attacks over the past day said 18 facilities were damaged and three people were injured.
Evidence · 1 source statement
In Kyiv Oblast, Russian attacks over the past day damaged 18 facilities, injuring three people, including a 76-year-old man, Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv Regional State…
- The Kyiv Regional Military Administration reported eight damaged sites and one injured person in its account of attacks during September 23 and the night of September 24.
Evidence · 2 source statements
Russian attacks in Kyiv region damage eight sites, one person injured
The attacks continued throughout the day on September 23 and throughout the night of September 24.
The reports describe different time windows, so the differing totals may reflect when or how much of the attack period each account covered.
Number of drones launched
- Ukraine’s Air Force said 161 attack and decoy drones were launched over the past day covered in a September 23 report.
Evidence · 1 source statement
Overall, over the past day, Russian forces launched 161 Shahed-type attack drones, including jet-powered versions, as well as Gebera, Parodiya decoy drones and Banderol drones,…
- Ukraine’s Air Force said 282 attack drones were launched beginning on the evening of September 23.
Evidence · 1 source statement
Beginning at 18:00 on Wednesday, September 23, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with Zircon anti-ship missiles launched from the Kursk, Rostov and Oryol regions;…
The figures cover different reporting periods and drone categories; the reports do not present them as counts for the same interval.
What was reported
- Ukraine’s Air Force said the attack began at 18:00 on September 23 and involved Zircon missiles, Iskander-M, S-400 and KN-23 ballistic missiles, and 282 attack drones.
One source: Ukrinform
Evidence · 1 source statement
Beginning at 18:00 on Wednesday, September 23, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with Zircon anti-ship missiles launched from the Kursk, Rostov and Oryol regions;…
- Ukraine’s Air Force said the Kyiv and Odesa regions were the main targets. It reported hits at 13 locations and falling debris at 10 locations.
One source: Ukrinform
Evidence · 2 source statements
The Odesa and Kyiv regions were the main targets of the attack.
Hits were recorded at 13 locations, while falling debris from downed targets was reported at another 10 locations.
- Explosions were heard in Kyiv shortly after 01:00, and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the city was under ballistic missile attack and urged residents to stay in shelters.
One source: Ukrainska Pravda
Evidence · 3 source statements
A series of explosions was heard in Kyiv shortly after 01:00.
The capital is under a ballistic missile attack.
Stay in shelters!
- Reports said Russian ballistic missiles struck Kyiv in three overnight waves, killing two people and injuring eight.
Reported independently by 2: The Kyiv Independent, Xinhua
Evidence · 2 source statements
Two people were killed and eight others injured in Kyiv, where Russian ballistic missiles struck the capital in three waves overnight.
ballistic missile strikes killed two people and injured eight others, causing damage and fires in three districts
- The Kyiv Regional Military Administration said the attacks damaged eight sites in the region and injured one person. Its account included damage to houses and vehicles and a fire in a house.
One source: Ukrinform
Evidence · 5 source statements
Russian attacks in Kyiv region damage eight sites, one person injured
A person born in 1945 was injured and diagnosed with an acute stress reaction.
A fire broke out in the house and was quickly extinguished by rescuers.
In the Fastiv district, one vehicle was damaged.
In the Boryspil district, a private house was damaged.
- Ukrainian railway chief Oleksandr Pertsovskyi said a strike hit railway infrastructure in Kyiv and injured a railway worker.
One source: The Kyiv Independent
Evidence · 1 source statement
Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, chairman of the board of Ukrzaliznytsia, said that Russia struck railway infrastructure in Kyiv and injured one of their workers.
- The Russian Defense Ministry said strikes hit a warehouse for drone-production materials in Kyiv and an industrial enterprise near Kyiv that made drone components.
One source: TASS
Evidence · 1 source statement
As a result of the strike, the following targets in Kiev and the Kiev region were hit: a warehouse storing materials for drone production and an industrial enterprise (Tukans…
- Ukraine’s Air Force said some Russian drones remained in Ukrainian airspace while the attack was ongoing.
Reported independently by 2: Ukrainska Pravda, Ukrinform
Evidence · 2 source statements
The attack is ongoing, as several Russian drones are still in the airspace.
The attack is ongoing, with dozens of enemy UAVs still in Ukrainian airspace.
How coverage differed
Ukrainian outlets and officials — These reports foregrounded the attack on Kyiv, casualties, local damage, and the Ukrainian Air Force’s account of the weapons and strike locations.
Russian state outlet — TASS coverage included the Russian Defense Ministry’s account of strikes on facilities it described as connected to drone production.
Still unclear
- The final number of damaged facilities across the Kyiv region is not given.
- The reports provide no direct account from residents affected by the Kyiv strikes.
Not heard from
- Residents affected in Kyiv and the surrounding region — Officials and news outlets described casualties and damage, but no affected residents’ own statements appear.