In brief: Russia launched an overnight ballistic missile attack on Kyiv early Nov. 12, triggering explosions, air raid alerts and fires across parts of the capital as Ukrainian air defenses responded.
Russian forces launched an overnight ballistic missile attack on Kyiv early Thursday, Nov. 12, triggering explosions across the Ukrainian capital as air raid sirens sounded and authorities urged residents to seek shelter.
Ukraine’s Air Force warned of multiple high-speed threats approaching Kyiv and the surrounding region shortly before 1 a.m., with missiles detected moving toward the capital from several directions.
JOIN US ON TELEGRAM
Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.
The Kyiv City Military Administration declared a heightened threat level at approximately 12:56 a.m. and urged residents to immediately move to the nearest shelters.
“Red alert level. We urge city residents to proceed to the nearest shelters,” the administration said.
Explosions were reported in Kyiv shortly after 1 a.m., with further blasts heard as the missile threat continued.
Russian ballistic missiles approach Kyiv from multiple directions
According to Ukrainian Air Force alerts, the attack involved ballistic missiles approaching from Russian territory, including the direction of Voronezh.
One missile was tracked through Sumy region toward Poltava region before continuing in the direction of southern Kyiv region.
Air Force warnings also identified additional ballistic threats approaching Kyiv region, including the areas around Brovary and the capital itself.
At approximately 1:25 a.m., Ukrainian forces warned of another ballistic missile over Chernihiv region, followed by further warnings of missiles approaching Kyiv.
The attack prompted alerts across multiple regions as Ukrainian authorities monitored incoming threats.
Ireland Backs Ukraine’s 2027 Funding, Tougher Russia Sanctions and Joint Drone Production
Fires reported on Kyiv’s left bank
Kyiv City Military Administration chief Tymur Tkachenko confirmed that air defenses were operating as Russian missiles approached the capital.
“The enemy is attacking the city with missiles. Please remain in shelters until the all-clear,” he said in a Telegram update.
Authorities subsequently reported fires at several locations on Kyiv’s left bank, although the extent of the damage remained unclear.
“According to preliminary information, fires have been recorded at several locations on the left bank of the city. We are clarifying the details,” Tkachenko said.
The Air Force continued issuing warnings of incoming ballistic missiles while emergency services monitored the situation.
Latest Russian attack follows major strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure
The overnight bombardment followed another major Russian assault on Kyiv and surrounding areas on Nov. 7, when Moscow launched 36 ballistic missiles toward the capital and Kyiv region.
As Kyiv Post reported, the earlier attack targeted critical energy infrastructure, including high-voltage substations supplying electricity from Ukraine’s nuclear power plants.
The barrage disrupted electricity, heating and water supplies, adding to the pressure on Ukraine’s energy system ahead of winter.
The latest attack also came hours after US-mediated peace negotiations concluded in Abu Dhabi without a breakthrough on major political issues.
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday before traveling to Dublin for further talks with Zelensky.
Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.