LONDON: Britain summoned Russia’s ambassador on Thursday (Aug 28) after a wave of Russian missile and drone strikes pounded Ukraine overnight, killing at least 21 people and damaging buildings including the British Council office and the European Union Delegation in Kyiv.
“(Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s strikes last night killed civilians, destroyed homes and damaged buildings, including the British Council and EU Delegation in Kyiv,” UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said on X. “We have summoned the Russian ambassador. The killing and destruction must stop.”
DEADLY STRIKES
Kyiv officials said the overnight assault, one of the biggest in recent months, also injured at least 63 people. The strikes hit residential areas as well as diplomatic and commercial sites, damaging the British Council, the EU Delegation, a Turkish enterprise and the Azerbaijan embassy.
“This was Moscow’s answer to diplomatic efforts to end the war,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He called for new sanctions on Russia, saying: “Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table. It chooses to continue killing instead of ending the war.”
Ukraine’s military said Russian forces launched 31 missiles and nearly 600 drones nationwide. It claimed to have downed 26 missiles and 563 drones, though energy facilities were struck, triggering power cuts.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said it targeted military industrial facilities and air bases. Moscow has regularly denied striking civilians.
