Russian forces launched a new wave of overnight drone attacks on Ukraine early Jan. 28, striking residential areas in the Kyiv region and Odesa, killing civilians and damaging apartment buildings, homes, and an Orthodox monastery, Ukrainian officials said.
In Kyiv, air raid alerts lasted nearly two hours, from about 1:00 a.m. to 2:45 a.m., as air defenses intercepted incoming drones. Debris from downed UAVs fell in the Holosiivskyi district, damaging roadways and shattering windows in a residential building, Kyiv City Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said on Telegram.
A separate incident initially reported as a fire was later clarified as damage to the roof of a high-rise apartment building caused by falling drone debris, Tkachenko added. No casualties were reported in the capital.
In the Bilohorodka community of the Kyiv region, a Russian drone struck a multi-story residential building, igniting the roof and upper floor. The strike killed at least two and forced the evacuation of residents, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported.
Emergency crews and medics were deployed to the scene as evacuations continued and residents received emergency assistance. The number of victims was still being clarified.
Further south, Russia also targeted Odesa overnight, again using attack drones. Several sites across the city were damaged, including residential buildings and an Orthodox monastery, according to the regional administration.
In Odesa’s Kyivskyi district, a drone struck the grounds of an Orthodox monastery, triggering a fire that was quickly extinguished by rescue services. No casualties were reported there. A separate drone strike damaged a private home, with authorities saying assessments of structural safety were ongoing.