Photo by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine
On the night of 28 August, Russia launched another large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s capital. Several waves of strikes included drones, hypersonic weapons, ballistic and cruise missiles. Air defence systems intercepted many threats, but multiple direct hits struck Kyiv, causing fires, destruction, and civilian casualties.
By the evening of August 28, Ukrainian authorities confirmed the deaths of at least 23 civilians, including four children, and over 55 wounded. Rescue workers continued to clear the rubble as fires raged and further structural collapses remained a risk. Dozens of buildings were damaged, including residential homes, office spaces, public infrastructure, and educational institutions. A number of schools and kindergartens were hit just days before the academic year was due to begin.
Among the affected sites was a high-speed rail depot. One train was seriously damaged. Elsewhere in the country, Russian strikes on energy facilities disrupted power for around 60,000 consumers and caused delays in rail traffic. Ukrainian emergency services operated under extreme conditions, evacuating civilians during renewed alerts, working through the night to save lives, and fighting fires in heavily built-up areas.
This was not a military operation – it was a targeted attack on daily life. When missiles hit kindergartens, homes, and energy facilities, the aim is not victory in battle, but disruption of society itself. These strikes are designed to break Ukraine’s social cohesion, drain its civil defenses, and make everyday life uncertain.
This strike comes amid renewed international discussions about peace initiatives. Yet Moscow’s actions show that it is not seeking negotiation – rather, it escalates terror when diplomacy is in the air. This was not pressure for dialogue but an intentional campaign of destruction, disregarding ceasefire rhetoric and doubling down on violence to signal dominance.
The deaths of children cross a line that no civilised society can ignore. Expressions of sympathy are not enough. They must translate into action: enhanced air defence for Ukraine, sanctions that effectively cut off Russia’s military-industrial supply chains, and steps towards international legal accountability, including compensation mechanisms from frozen Russian assets. Every day of delay following such civilian deaths signals impunity.
Russia is not discouraged by diplomatic statements it responds solely to actions with consequences. Combined missile strikes and frequent drone attacks aim to stretch Ukraine’s air defence capabilities. To alter this situation, Ukraine needs more air defence systems, additional interceptors, and a reliable continuous supply of critical equipment. Every extra battery in the sky saves lives and prevents cities from becoming warzones.
The attack on August 28 again shows that Russia ignores international norms and political signals. It is not interested in peace it aims for surrender. Any calm achieved without real deterrence, including sanctions and air defence coverage, will only lead to more attacks.
International actors must respond appropriately. For countries like China, which have declared a so-called peace position, this stretches their credibility: condemning strikes on cities, halting dual-use exports to Russia, and ensuring their financial systems are not involved in sanctions evasion. Anything less risks complicity.
European unity is also being challenged. When civilians are killed by missile fire, neutrality is no longer a neutral stance it becomes a decision to stay silent in the face of terror. Political solidarity must involve action: removing vetoes on EU-wide decisions, supporting the seizure of frozen Russian funds, strengthening Europe’s joint defence efforts, and isolating the aggressor economically and diplomatically.
Russia is not just fighting a war against Ukraine but against the very idea of a peaceful, democratic, and functioning European society. If missile attacks on civilians persist without repercussions, no capital should consider itself truly safe. This is the moment to act.
