Early on Sunday, May 24 a wave of overnight strikes hit Kyiv. Two people were killed in the capital, while two more were killed in the surrounding region, local authorities reported.

The intense assault shook buildings across the city centre, including near government offices, residential buildings, and schools.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko posted on Telegram that 56 people were wounded in the overnight attack, 30 of whom were hospitalized.

Mykola Kalashnyk, the head of the regional military administration, said: 

Tonight the Kyiv region is once again enduring a mass enemy attack with strike drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.

Prior to the Russian offensive, President Vladimir Putin had vowed retaliation for a Ukrainian strike alleged to have hit a student residence.