Ukraine's capital faced its largest missile barrage of the year on Sunday, killing two people and wounding at least 91 others as Russia threatened further "systemic strikes" on civilian areas while international attention turned to Belarus's potential role in expanding the conflict.
The assault damaged residential buildings, schools, and a market across Kyiv, with shattered glass littering sidewalks on Monday as the city cleaned up from the bombardment. According to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Administration, the strikes hit areas near government offices and densely populated neighborhoods, underscoring the human cost of Russia's strategy as its army remains locked in a costly stalemate on the 1,250-kilometer front line.
Growing Concerns Over Belarus Involvement
Belarusian exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visited Kyiv on Monday, her first trip to the Ukrainian capital, as fears mounted that Belarus could provide a launchpad for Russia to open a new front in northern Ukraine. Some Russian troops entered Ukraine from Belarusian territory when Moscow's invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022, now in its fourth year of the conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned in recent days that Belarus could enable such an expansion, particularly after Russia and its ally Belarus held joint nuclear drills last week. In a sign of international concern, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Sunday—their first call since the invasion began.
According to a presidential aide in Macron's office who spoke on condition of anonymity, the French leader "underscored the risks for Belarus of allowing itself to be dragged into Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine." Macron also spoke Sunday with Zelenskyy.
Regime Versus People
Speaking after meeting with Ukrainian officials, Tsikhanouskaya told The Associated Press that "Lukashenko's regime knows well what needs to be done to improve ties with the European Union, but it isn't happening. Instead, hybrid attacks, nuclear blackmail and threats to the entire region."
"Ukraine is defending not only its independence but also the right of our peoples to live without imperial dictatorship, without violence and fear," she said at a news conference. "I am convinced that Ukraine's victory will open the way to Belarus's freedom."
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who appeared alongside Tsikhanouskaya, emphasized that "Ukraine consistently differentiates between the regime that has dragged Belarus into Russian aggression and the Belarusian people," adding that "we appreciate the contribution of Belarusian volunteers, journalists, human rights advocates and activists who are fighting for freedom, both ours and yours."
Lukashenko, who has governed his country of some 9.5 million people with an iron fist for more than three decades, relies on the Kremlin for cheap energy, loans and other support. Western countries have repeatedly slapped sanctions on Belarus, including for its crackdown on human rights and for allowing Moscow to use its territory to invade Ukraine.
Defense Gaps and Continued Strikes
Sunday's bombardment included Russia's powerful hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile, which can carry multiple warheads. Russian President Vladimir Putin has boasted it can travel up to 10 times the speed of sound and evade air defense systems. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian intelligence services had received tipoffs from the United States and European countries that Russia was preparing to launch an Oreshnik.
With U.S.-made air defense missiles in short supply because of the Iran war, Russian missiles are harder for Ukraine to stop. "Russia hit a dead-end on the battlefield, so it terrorizes Ukraine with deliberate strikes on city centers," Kaja Kallas, the European Union's foreign policy chief, said on X.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday that further "systemic strikes" on Kyiv are in store, urging foreign citizens, including members of diplomatic missions, to leave the city as quickly as possible and telling residents to stay away from military and government facilities. The ministry said Friday's deadly Ukrainian drone strike on a college dormitory in Starobilsk was "the final straw." Ukraine said it hit only targets supporting Russia's invasion.
Sybiha led ambassadors from more than 70 countries on a visit to the strike sites on Monday, urging the international community to step up pressure on Moscow and ensure Ukraine gets more air defense assets.
Meanwhile, a Russian missile hit a business in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Derhachi on Monday, killing two people and wounding 19 others, Kharkiv regional administration head Oleh Syniehubov said. Seventeen people were hospitalized.
Why This Matters:
The escalation of strikes on civilian areas in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities reveals the disproportionate burden borne by ordinary people as Russia's military campaign stalls on the battlefield. With air defense systems stretched thin and U.S. efforts to stop the fighting stalled, vulnerable populations face mounting threats to their safety and security. The potential involvement of Belarus in opening a new front would further endanger civilians and strain Ukraine's defensive capabilities. International pressure on the Lukashenko regime—through diplomatic engagement and continued sanctions—reflects recognition that authoritarian governments enabling aggression must be held accountable. The distinction Ukrainian officials draw between Belarus's repressive government and its people, including volunteers and activists fighting for freedom, underscores the importance of supporting civil society and democratic movements even amid geopolitical crisis. Ensuring adequate air defense resources and maintaining multilateral solidarity with Ukraine remain essential to protecting human rights and preventing further civilian casualties.