Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Kyiv will respond 'fairly and with long-range strikes' to the mass night attack by Russian forces on the capital and Kyiv region. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the head of state. According to him, the Ukrainian side will definitely respond to this and other Russian attacks, and long-range strike capabilities will be strengthened through additional resources.
President's Statement on the Response
"We will definitely respond to this Russian strike, just as we respond to other Russian strikes — fairly and with long-range capabilities," Zelensky emphasized. The head of state separately noted that Ukrainian long-range capabilities will receive even more resources, which essentially serves as a direct signal of increasing potential for strikes against targets on enemy territory.
Nature of the Night Attack and Consequences
On the night of August 21, the aggressor state launched a mass attack on Kyiv and the region; according to the president, the air raid alarm in the capital lasted about nine hours, and the main part of the attack was directed at the Kyiv region. Zelensky called this strike one of the "most cynical, calculated, and large-scale." According to his information, as a result of the attack, 30 residential buildings were damaged, as well as a school, a hospital, and a kindergarten; 15 deaths are known in Kyiv.
Damage to Infrastructure and Logistics
During the night attack, the Brovary district was damaged, where the KLO network oil depot suffered. Significant destruction was also inflicted on logistics centers of well-known brands: according to available data, the warehouses of "Fora" and Yves Rocher were attacked. This indicates that strikes are increasingly directed not only at residential areas but also at fuel and warehouse infrastructure objects.
Contradictory Data
There are discrepancies in the characterization of the strike itself in publications by various agencies. RBC-Ukraine describes the night attack as a "massive combined strike," while UNIAN and Glavred call it "one of the most massive ballistic attacks" on Kyiv in their headlines. That is, the nature of the means used (combined set versus emphasis on ballistics) is interpreted differently. Moreover, exact figures on the consequences — 15 killed, 30 damaged houses, damage to the oil depot and warehouses — are primarily cited from one source at the time of publication and have not yet been confirmed by independent agencies, so they should be treated as preliminary.
Context and Next Steps
Zelensky's statement came against the backdrop of continued intensive night shelling of the capital and adjacent territories. The promise of a "long-range" response and the increase in resources for such strikes indicate Kyiv's intention to expand the geography and depth of its counter-strikes. Final data on casualties and the scale of destruction, as well as specific retaliatory actions, will presumably be clarified as emergency services work and official briefings are held.
