Most devastating attack on Kyiv: Why Putin has gone off the rails and what to expect next

Russia once again showcased its bestial nature, launching a massive and combined air strike on Ukraine last night. The primary target of the aggressor was Kyiv and the surrounding region.

Experts call this blatant terrorism and one of the most intense ballistic attacks on Kyiv. Lacking strategic gains on the frontline, Putin resorts to terrorist tactics—striking civilian infrastructure and cynically killing Ukrainian women and children.

The air strike in Kyiv claimed 12 lives, including children. Over 70 people were injured. Twelve buildings across five districts of the city were damaged, with the most destruction in Sviatoshynskyi district.

April 25 has been declared a Day of Mourning in Kyiv to honor the victims.

Why Putin dared to launch a massive attack

Military expert Ihor Romanenko calls the nighttime attack on Kyiv a military realization of political pressure on Ukraine.

«It was directly organized by Russia and Putin, but unfortunately, with the consent of the United States. They are jointly pressuring to influence all subsequent steps regarding the war in Ukraine, as evidenced by the disrupted meeting in London. In other words, Trump, without considering Ukraine’s interests, pre-agreed with Putin on approaches to halting hostilities along the line of contact. But that wasn’t enough for the Russians. They want to legally legitimize Crimea first and then see how things progress. To be more persuasive, and with the „green light“ from the U.S., Putin orchestrated an maximally aggressive strike on Kyiv. This is blatant moral and psychological pressure directly on the residents of the capital. Kyiv residents are a crucial group of citizens that both Russians and Americans want to influence, so they agree to Putin’s terms and pressure Ukraine’s military-political leadership, ” Ihor Romanenko, military expert, retired lieutenant general, and former deputy chief of the General Staff (2006–2010), told TSN.ua.

Kyiv turned into a fiery hell

According to the military expert, the attack was massive and combined. The enemy struck Kyiv with nearly every type of weaponry at its disposal.

In total, the enemy used 215 air means to attack Ukraine:

• 11 «Iskander-M”/KN-23 ballistic missiles;

• 37 Kh-101 cruise missiles from Tu-95MS strategic bombers;

• 6 «Iskander-K» cruise missiles;

• 12 «Kalibr» cruise missiles (from the Black Sea);

• 4 Kh-59/Kh-69 guided air missiles from tactical aviation aircraft;

• 145 Shahed strike UAVs/decoy drones of various types.

The exact number of these weapons that targeted Kyiv specifically is unknown. Experts suggest the majority. Horrific footage of the nighttime shelling of Kyiv, with Russian missiles falling among residential buildings, can be seen online. It resembled a fiery hell, filled with smoke and flames.

According to Ihor Romanenko, air defense and anti-missile systems were activated to repel this massive air strike. Fighter jets—including F-16s, Mirages, and Soviet-era aircraft—as well as anti-aircraft missile systems, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire groups were involved. Preliminary reports indicate 112 enemy targets were destroyed.

Challenges with Patriot systems and imperial approaches

Regarding air defense performance, the expert notes that Ukraine faces significant challenges with anti-missile systems, as their numbers are limited. This primarily concerns Patriot systems, which require costly missiles.

«The problem is that this type of weaponry is fully controlled by the Americans, who currently do not want Ukraine to actively resist the aggressor. Remember when the Air Forces reported the number of „Kinzhals“ shot down in a day, showcasing the power and capabilities of the Patriot. That information was of interest to the Americans then. Now, it’s not. Moreover, they are pressuring our European partners to refrain from providing Ukraine with any military aid, pushing us to quickly agree to the imposed terms of a so-called peace agreement. I believe these are outright imperial approaches by the U.S. That’s how they should be qualified. There are Russian imperial approaches being realized directly in this war, and now American imperial approaches are emerging in the spheres of politics, finance, economics, and security. Through these actions, the U.S. undoubtedly facilitates such air strikes, the consequences of which we now see in Kyiv, ” Romanenko notes.

The most aggressive attack on Kyiv

Some military experts point out that this time, the Russians attacked Kyiv with «Kalibr» missiles from ships in the Black Sea, which has been rare. Online, fragments, possibly of cruise missiles, were shown to have fallen on one of Kyiv’s cemeteries. However, Ihor Romanenko believes the enemy has used «Kalibrs» before — sometimes more, sometimes less.

«The key and most important thing is that during this attack, the enemy used practically all types and samples of weaponry at its disposal. The Russians attacked Kyiv very densely and aggressively to achieve maximum destruction and casualties. There were „Kalibrs“, „Iskanders“ — both ballistic „Iskander-M“ and cruise missiles — North Korean missiles, drones. All at once. They had never attacked Kyiv in such a manner and on such a scale before. The reason is simple: the Russians have increased their capabilities — both in strike drones and missiles — and they directed these capabilities primarily at Kyiv, the decision-making center. I’ve already mentioned the goals: pressure on Kyiv residents and our leadership to make us quickly accept Putin’s ultimatums, which Trump has indirectly supported. Otherwise this air strike wouldn’t have happened, ” the military expert explains.

Why Trump is playing along with Putin

Ihor Romanenko notes that the U.S. leader and the Russian dictator are rushing toward their own goals, with little regard for Ukraine.

«Trump is openly playing along with Putin, and he cares little about what this means for Ukraine. His primary concern is stopping hostilities in Ukraine on any terms by May 1, as that marks his 100th day as U.S. president—a matter of his prestige. He cynically pursues this. I hope Ukrainians will have the resilience, and Trump’s propagandistic statements will burst like a soap bubble, showing the world the worthlessness of his domestic and foreign policy claims. And he will finally realize that he wasn’t stopping the war in Ukraine but engaging in politicking. Our leadership will have to endure all these attacks from Trump. That’s what needs to be done, and all sharp edges should be resolved exclusively through diplomatic channels. Of course, the current U.S. leadership should not be equated with the entire American people, as the majority support Ukraine in its struggle, ” Romanenko states.

How long will Russia continue missile attacks?

The expert does not rule out that massive air attacks by Russia will continue to pressure Ukraine into accepting Putin’s terms, which Trump has actually endorsed.

«May 1 is Trump’s deadline. For Putin, it’s May 9. Amid the sounds of the Moscow parade, he plans to sum up the results of the „special military operation“ and transition to an „anti-terrorist operation.“ Putin is trying to build another smokescreen for Trump, claiming he’s fighting Nazis and terrorists in Ukraine. For this, he’s changing the war’s name from „special military operation“ to „anti-terrorist operation.“ Yet everything Putin does is a large-scale war aimed at destroying the Ukrainian nation and state — that’s his priority, and the name change is just a justification for aggression. By the way, Putin’s „Easter Truce“ was merely a gesture toward Trump, signaling a desire for peace. Now, he’s shown how he truly seeks peace with a combined strike on Kyiv. Unfortunately, such missile strikes will continue as long as Russia deems them necessary to convince Ukraine to agree to peace on the Russian dictator’s terms. We must be prepared for this and resist the enemy, as Putin only understands strength, so we must build it up, ” Ihor Romanenko concludes.