Kyiv in mourning after Ukraine’s deadliest attack in a year kills 31 people, including 5 children.

 KYIV, AUGUST 3 – The city of Kyiv observed a day of mourning on Friday, following a devastating Russian drone and missile attack that killed 31 people, including five children, and injured over 150 others, according to Ukrainian officials. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the youngest victim was just 2 years old, and 16 children were among the injured.

This was the deadliest assault on Kyiv since July last year, and the single most deadly attack on children since Russia began its aerial campaign against the capital in October 2022. The number of deaths increased overnight as rescuers searched through the rubble. The attack destroyed part of a nine-story apartment building and damaged over 100 other structures, including schools, kindergartens, hospitals, and universities.

Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian cities in recent months, despite international appeals—such as those from former U.S. President Donald Trump—to stop targeting civilians. Analysts say these strikes are part of a broader strategy to instill fear and weaken public support for the war.

Fighting also continues along the 1,000-kilometer front line, where both sides have suffered heavy losses over the past year in a slow-moving, grinding conflict.

Ukraine Urges Tougher Sanctions

President Zelenskyy reported that in July alone, Russia launched more than 5,100 glide bombs, 3,800 Shahed drones, and nearly 260 missiles—128 of them ballistic—against Ukraine. He called on the international community to impose stronger economic sanctions on Russia, saying, “Sanctions are working, and they need to be even stronger.”

His remarks came a day after Trump stated that while the U.S. plans to apply more sanctions on Russia, he’s unsure if they will have any real impact on President Vladimir Putin. Back in April, Trump had publicly called on Putin to “STOP!” after an airstrike killed 12 people in Kyiv, but the attacks have continued. Just this week, Trump gave Putin an ultimatum to end the war by August 8—a demand Russia has so far ignored.

Putin responded on Friday, saying that Russia still stands by the conditions it outlined last year for a ceasefire. He added that any disappointment in the peace process comes from "unrealistic expectations" and made no mention of Trump’s deadline.

Putin also revealed that Russia has begun producing new hypersonic missiles, known as Oreshnik, which are capable of traveling at speeds up to Mach 10 and cannot be intercepted by current air defense systems.

Ukraine Calls for Emergency UN Meeting

In response to the attack, Ukraine has requested an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the goal is to pressure Russia into accepting a “full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.”

Russia Advances in Eastern Ukraine

Meanwhile, intense fighting continues in the eastern Donetsk region, especially around the strategic city of Chasiv Yar. Russia claims to have captured the city, but Zelenskyy dismissed those reports as false. “Our forces are still holding the line,” he said. “It’s not easy, but it’s about defending our right to live.”

However, the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War warned that Russia is likely close to taking full control of Chasiv Yar. If that happens, it could open the door for deeper Russian advances into eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine has been trying to disrupt Russian supply lines with long-range drone strikes targeting railways, fuel depots, and weapons storage. On Friday, Russia said it shot down 60 Ukrainian drones overnight—most of them over Belgorod, a border region. One person was injured, according to local officials.

Ukraine's air force reported downing 44 out of 72 Russian drones during the same night, with no immediate reports of casualties or damage.