European leaders outraged after Russian strikes kill 23 and harm EU’s HQ

The top of the European Union’s government Fee, Ursula von der Leyen, has spoken of her outrage at Russia’s deadliest onslaught on Kyiv since July – which additionally broken the EU’s delegation workplace within the Ukrainian capital.

At the least 23 folks, together with 4 kids, have been killed and dozens extra wounded within the bombardment, Ukrainian officers mentioned.

All however one of many lifeless have been in a five-storey residential constructing that was destroyed.

The EU’s diplomatic mission and close by British Council have been hit in central Kyiv. In a strongly worded assertion, von der Leyen mentioned Russian missiles struck near the EU workplace: “Two missiles hit in a distance of 50m (165ft) of the delegation inside 20 seconds.”

Ukrainian forces mentioned Russia had fired virtually 600 drones and greater than 30 ballistic and cruise missiles – the most important assault on the capital this month.

Twenty-two of the 23 killed have been within the residential block focused within the south-eastern Darnytskyi district on Kyiv’s left financial institution, Ukraine’s DSNS emergency service mentioned.

A missile tore via the block of flats at about 03:00, inflicting it to break down.

Diggers eliminated rubble, and rescue staff clambered on prime of smouldering elements of the constructing on the lookout for survivors.

Officers mentioned three of the kids killed have been aged two, 14 and 17. A number of different kids have been wounded.

The in a single day assaults adopted a US-led diplomatic offensive geared toward bringing an finish to the struggle and infuriated the UK in addition to the EU.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer accused Russia’s Vladimir Putin of “sabotaging hopes of peace”, whereas EU overseas coverage chief Kaja Kallas mentioned they confirmed “a deliberate option to escalate and mock peace efforts”.

Moscow had chosen “ballistics as a substitute of the negotiating desk”, mentioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who reiterated the necessity for “new, robust sanctions” on Russia.

Though the Kremlin mentioned Russia was “nonetheless ” in negotiations, von der Leyen mentioned the strikes have been “one other grim reminder” that Russia would “cease at nothing to terrorise Ukraine”, killing males, girls and youngsters and even concentrating on the EU.

The US particular envoy on Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, mentioned Russia’s “egregious assaults” on residential areas threatened the peace that President Donald Trump was pursuing.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz mentioned Russia had “proven its true face once more”, and the truth that the EU delegation had come below fireplace was a sign of the Kremlin’s growing brazenness.

An EU spokeswoman mentioned no diplomatic mission ought to ever be focused and the Russian cost d’affaires in Brussels was being summoned in response to the assault.

Russia’s ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin, was summoned to the overseas workplace.

Zelensky mentioned the assault on Ukraine’s cities and communities was a transparent response from the Kremlin to everybody who had referred to as for weeks and months “for a ceasefire and for actual diplomacy”.

The wave of missiles got here after greater than 100,000 Ukrainian properties have been left with out energy by Russian drone assaults on vitality infrastructure on Wednesday. One other 60,000 shoppers have been left with out energy within the central Vinnytsia area within the newest assaults, officers mentioned.

Russian forces additionally struck a Ukrainian naval vessel, killing one member of the crew and wounding a number of others. The Russian defence ministry claimed it had used an unmanned speedboat to focus on the reconnaissance ship Simferopol within the mouth of the River Danube, though Ukraine’s navy gave no particulars of the place the assault happened.

European Council President António Costa mentioned he was “horrified” by the newest Russian assaults on Kyiv.

The British Council, which fosters cultural relations with different international locations and is housed in the identical block because the EU’s mission, mentioned its workplace was severely broken and could be closed to guests till additional discover.

Ursula von der Leyen mentioned the EU was making ready a nineteenth package deal of sanctions on Russia and introduced she would go to seven EU member states who shared a border with Russia and its ally Belarus over the following few days.

The Fee mentioned she would journey to Latvia and Finland on Friday earlier than happening to Estonia, Poland, Bulgaria, Lithuania and Romania.

President Trump had hoped to organise a summit involving Zelensky and Russia’s Vladimir Putin to deliver an finish to the struggle, however these efforts have since stalled.

He first met Putin in Alaska earlier than holding talks with Zelensky and European leaders in Washington.

Ukraine’s president has backed the transfer, however the Kremlin has performed down any probability of a Putin-Zelensky summit.

Regardless of the newest setback, US officers will maintain talks with a Ukrainian delegation in New York on Friday. Zelensky mentioned they’d talk about “navy, political and financial elements of safety ensures” for Ukraine.

Ukraine is working with its European allies on ensures geared toward stopping any future Russian assault within the occasion of a peace deal. Zelensky had talks in Kyiv this week with the top of Britain’s armed forces, Adm Sir Tony Radakin.

Russia says it is not going to settle for European troops on the bottom and says discussing them with out Moscow’s involvement is a “highway to nowhere”.