In the early hours of December 20, Russian forces launched a combined strike against Kyiv, targeting the Ukrainian capital with five ballistic missiles.
The Ukrainian Air Force said in a release that the attack involved Iskander-M and North Korean-made KN-23 missiles fired from the Voronezh and Bryansk regions in Russia.
Ukrainian air defense systems intercepted all five missiles, according to the Ukrainian Air Force, which credited its teams for successfully neutralizing the threat. “During the enemy’s insidious attack, our air defense systems destroyed all five ballistic missiles directed at Kyiv,” the statement read.
Despite the successful interception, debris from the destroyed missiles caused damage in five districts of Kyiv. Reports indicate that the falling debris resulted in structural damage and casualties. “Unfortunately, there are fatalities and injuries caused by the remnants of intercepted missiles,” Ukrainian officials stated, underscoring the human cost of the attack.
The missile strike followed controversial remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who suggested a “technological experiment” involving Ukraine’s air defenses. In a statement made the day prior, Putin proposed a simulated duel where Russia would target a site in Kyiv with the new Oreshnik missile, daring Ukrainian and Western air defense systems to intercept it.
“Let them designate an object in Kyiv, concentrate all their air defense and missile defense systems there, and we will strike it with the Oreshnik,” Putin said. “We are ready for such an experiment, but is the other side ready?”
His comments were widely condemned as a cynical disregard for civilian safety, with critics accusing him of using Ukraine’s population as a backdrop for showcasing Russian weaponry.
The latest attack is part of an ongoing campaign by Russia to intimidate Ukraine and disrupt its infrastructure. Putin has frequently boasted of Russia’s military capabilities, often issuing veiled threats involving nuclear weapons or claims of weapons “with no analogues” in the world. The rhetoric has escalated as Ukraine continues to resist Russian advances with the support of Western allies.