From: Transform Ukraine By Douglas Landro / August 29, 2025
As Putin Promises Negotiations, His Ballistic Missiles Kill 23 in Ukraine’s Capital While European Diplomatic Buildings Burn and Oil Refineries Blaze Across Russia
Summary of the Day – August 28, 2025
In one of the deadliest attacks on Kyiv since the war began, Russia launched 629 drones and missiles overnight, killing at least 23 civilians including four children, even as the Kremlin claimed it “remains interested” in peace negotiations. The massive strike, which damaged the EU delegation headquarters and the British Council building, came just two weeks after President Donald Trump met Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces struck back hard, hitting two major Russian oil refineries, damaging a Kalibr missile carrier in the Azov Sea, and attacking railway infrastructure in Tver, as Moscow extended its gasoline export ban through October to cope with mounting fuel shortages. The attack exposed the hollow nature of current peace efforts, with European leaders accusing Putin of “mocking” diplomacy while Trump’s team prepares for talks in New York this week.
Moscow’s Answer to Peace: 23 Dead in Kyiv’s Rubble
Twenty-two-year-old Andrii Lyutiy knew the missile was coming for his building. Living near the Kyiv Radio Plant in the Darnytskyi district, he understood his five-story apartment complex was a likely target. When air raid sirens wailed at 3 a.m., he convinced his mother to head to the basement—a decision that saved their lives.
The first Russian missile struck the fifth-floor moments after they reached shelter. Then came the second missile, leaving Lyutiy concussed and bleeding. He escaped barefoot with his mother as his home collapsed behind him.
Russia’s overnight assault involved an unprecedented 598 drones and 31 missiles, including hypersonic Kinzhals and North Korean-supplied KN-23 ballistic missiles. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 563 drones and 26 missiles, but the strikes that got through devastated multiple districts. Among the 23 dead were four children aged 2, 14, and 17. Sixty-three people were injured, with 30 requiring hospitalizations.
Voice of Ukraine 