Russian Missiles, Drones Batter Ukrainian Sites; At Least 21 Killed, Dozens Wounded In Kyiv

KYIV -- Russia fired hundreds of drones and missile at targets across Ukraine, destroying apartment blocks and homes in the capital and elsewhere. At least 21 people were reported killed, and dozens injured.

The August 28 barrage was the largest to hit Kyiv in weeks, the latest sign that Russia does not intend to pull back from its attacks, either on the battlefield or on civilian targets.

The assault also comes nearly two weeks after a major summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump aimed at finding a halt to Moscow's 42-month-old invasion of Ukraine.

At least 21 people were confirmed dead and more than three dozen wounded, according to Kyiv military administration head Tymur Tkachenko

Rescuers picked through piles of smoking rubble looking for survivors, and officials warned the casualty toll was likely to rise.

Rescue Crews Hunt For Survivors After Deadly Russian Strikes Hit Kyiv

One of the worst-hit sites was in Kyiv's Darnytsya district, where a section of a five-story residential building was directly hit.

In Kyiv and Kyiv region, August 29 was declared a day of mourning to honor the airstrikes' victims.

Large-Scale Attack

Ukraine's air force said the overnight attack included nearly 600 kamikaze and decoy drones, along with 31 missiles, including ballistic and cruise missiles. Some of the missiles were launched by aircraft.

At least 13 locations across the country were hit, with debris falling on 26 more locations.

RFE/RL's Offices Damaged In Kyiv Strikes

The Kyiv bureau of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service was damaged, meanwhile, after two missiles hit civilian buildings a short distance away. Some windows were shattered, and equipment damaged.

"Those bearing witness to events in Ukraine should never be harmed. While the RFE/RL offices sustained damage, we are fortunate it appears no staff members were injured," said RFE/RL President Stephen Capus.

"Rest assured our journalists will continue their vital work. Our thoughts are with the families of those who were killed and injured in these attacks and Ukraine's first responders."

The attacks also damaged offices of the British Council and the EU Delegation in the Ukrainian capital.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pleaded for tougher international sanctions against Russia.

"It is already past time for new, strong sanctions against Russia for everything it is doing. Deadlines have been missed, dozens of opportunities for diplomacy have been ruined," Zelenskyy said in social media posts.

Zelenskyy urged countries like China and Hungary, both of which have called for peace initiatives, to respond to the civilian casualties.

Heavy shelling damaged an Intercity train at the Ukrzaliznytsya railway station in Kyiv.

On The Battlefield

Across the 1,100-kilometer front line, Russian forces have continued to grind down outmanned and outgunned Ukrainian defenses.

Russian troops recently broke through Ukrainian lines northeast of the city of Pokrovsk, forcing Ukrainian commanders to redeploy some of their most experienced units to contain offensive.

"This is Russia's traditional position and course of action," Yuri Fedorov, an independent military expert, told Current Time. "While it's possible to look for a connection between Russia's actions -- such as the insane shelling of Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities -- and diplomatic developments surrounding Ukraine, Moscow is clearly continuing an established strategy, albeit unsuccessfully."

SEE ALSO: Gradually, Then Suddenly: A Russian Breakthrough Near Pokrovsk Sets Ukrainian Alarm Bells Ringing

Despite the intensified negotiations from Trump and Putin, both Ukraine and Russia have continued to batter one another with aerial assaults.

Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR) announced in a statement on August 28 that Ukrainian forces had struck a Russian Buyan-M class missile corvette in the Sea of Azov. The vessel, a small missile ship equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles, was reportedly operating near Russian-occupied Crimea when it came under attack.

Shortly after Kyiv's announcement, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that its forces destroyed a Ukrainian reconnaissance ship during overnight strikes in the Danube estuary, in Ukraine's Odesa region.

Ukrainian drones targeted oil refineries in Russia's Krasnodar and Samara regions overnight, igniting fires at two plants. Ukrainian drones also struck a railway station in Samara, causing delays but no casualties.

Ukraine's targeting of oil refineries and pipelines has contributed to scattered shortages of gasoline in several Russian regions, with reports of widespread outages as far away as the Pacific region of Primorye.

With reporting by Current Time, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, and Sky News