Night attack on Kyiv: What the Russians used and the current situation in the capital

During the night of May 4, Kyiv came under a massive attack by Russian drones. Explosions were heard in various parts of the city, and drone debris caused fires in residential buildings, infrastructure damage, and injuries to people, including children.

TSN.ua compiled everything known about the strike.

Initially, the Kyiv City Military Administration reported that air defense systems were operating against enemy drones in the airspace over Kyiv, which caused loud explosions in the capital.

“Attack drones were detected in various parts of the city,” the military administration noted.

Later, it became known that drone debris fell in several districts — Obolonskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, and Shevchenkivskyi — causing multiple fires.

The most severe damage occured in Obolon, where an apartment in a high-rise building caught fire, and the flames spread to the roof. In another location, seven vehicles were damaged.

In addition to residential buildings, the popular “Dream Town” shopping mall in Obolon also suffered damage. Restoration work is underway at the site, and the mall will be closed on May 5.

In Sviatoshynskyi District, debris from drones damaged three single-story residential houses, which caught fire.

In Shevchenkivskyi District, a power pole and road surface beneath a railway bridge were damaged.

What residents say after the attack

Kyiv residents reported hearing powerful explosions. Window glass was blown out. Emergency responders and police quickly arrived at the impact sites.

“When we stepped into the hallway, the windows were already flying out after the second explosion. When we got downstairs, we saw cars on fire. The fire brigade arrived right away and started extinguishing the flames. The police came too and blocked access because there was a lot of destruction. Glass was falling from the windows. The explosion was powerful. We only now see where exactly it hit. At night, it was dark and nothing was visible,” a Kyiv woman shared.

Zelenskyy on the night strike on Kyiv

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia's daily strikes on Ukraine, while simultaneously requesting silence for May 9, were “the highest level of cynicism.”

“Russians ask for silence on May 9, yet they strike Ukraine every single day. This is cynicism of the highest order. Over the past week, Russia has used more than 1,180 strike drones, 1,360 guided aerial bombs, and 10 missiles of various types against Ukraine,” he wrote.

How air defense performed

During the night of May 4, Ukrainian air defense forces shot down 69 Russian “Shahed” strike drones over Ukrainian territory. Another 80 drone decoys failed to reach their targets and disappeared from radars.

Russia launched a total of 165 drones — both strike and decoy — from the regions of Bryansk, Kursk, Oryol, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk (Russia), and from the temporarily occupied territories of the Zaporizhzhia region (Primorsk).