Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack overnight on the Ukrainian capital Kiev early Thursday, causing multiple explosions, fires and the partial collapse of a nine-story residential building, according to Ukrainian officials.Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said a nine-story residential building in the Desnyansky district partially collapsed after the direct attack, trapping people inside. He said emergency teams were conducting rescue operations and urging residents to stay in shelters.The mayor said that at least 11 people were injured in the attack. A fire broke out on the roof of a multi-storey residential building in the Holosiivsky district, while a fire also broke out on the roof of a hotel in the central Shevchenkivsky district. Klitschko later said that five medical workers were among the injured.According to The New York Times, air raid sirens began sounding in Kiev late on Wednesday, followed by waves of Russian attack drones and ballistic missiles. Residents reported that air defense firing was continuing in the city before a series of powerful explosions, which caused fires in several places, including a large fire in the center of the city. Many people took shelter in metro stations with sleeping bags and pets after authorities warned of an imminent mass strike.Hours before the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that intelligence indicated Russia was preparing another “major attack” on Kiev and urged residents to heed airstrike alarms and be “especially careful”.The latest attack came hours after Ukraine launched long-range attacks inside Russia. Zelensky said Ukrainian forces targeted a large Russian oil refinery in Ufa and a military complex in the Penza region. He also said Ukraine attacked a satellite communications center in Russia’s Moscow region last night as Kiev stepped up attacks aimed at increasing pressure on Moscow to end the war.Speaking in Ireland before returning to Ukraine, Zelensky said, “Putin wants to continue fighting. So he will have to face circumstances that will make it impossible for him to continue this war.”The latest tension comes as both sides step up long-range attacks. Earlier on Wednesday, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a US-based think tank, had estimated that total military casualties in the war had exceeded 2 million. According to the report, Russia has suffered approximately 1.4 million casualties, including approximately 450,000 deaths, while Ukrainian casualties are estimated at between 525,000 to 625,000, including 125,000 to 150,000 deaths. The report said Russian progress into 2026 has been limited and described Moscow’s progress as “one of the slowest rates of progress in any war in the last century”.Meanwhile, Russia reiterated its criticism of continued US military aid to Ukraine. Speaking at a weekly briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned Washington against supplying more arms to Kiev.Zakharova said, “In our discussions with Washington, we have repeatedly emphasized that the supply of military equipment to the Kiev regime could have unpredictable consequences for stability at the regional and global levels.”