Russia carried out what Ukrainian officials described as the biggest combined drone and missile attack on Kyiv since the war began, killing at least 21 people, injuring dozens, and leaving large parts of the capital in ruins.

The overnight assault began late Wednesday and continued into early Thursday, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy having warned that Moscow was preparing a "major attack." Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko called it the most intense strike the city has faced during the war.

According to Ukraine's Air Force, Russia launched 496 drones and 74 missiles, including difficult-to-intercept ballistic missiles. Ukrainian officials said nearly 600 aerial weapons targeted the capital during the 11-hour bombardment.

The attack damaged more than 20 locations across Kyiv, destroying apartment buildings, hotels, and communication facilities. Fires broke out across the city as emergency teams rushed to rescue survivors from the rubble. Officials warned that the death toll could rise.

Thousands of residents sought shelter in Kyiv's underground metro stations. City authorities said around 52,000 people, including 4,500 children, spent the night in subway shelters, marking the highest number of civilians using the metro for protection since the war began.

The strike came just a week after Ukraine launched its largest long-range drone operation inside Russia. On June 26, Ukraine reportedly fired more than 660 drones targeting strategic military sites, including radar systems and the Dubna satellite communication center.

The latest escalation highlights the growing intensity of the drone war between the two countries, raising fears of further large-scale attacks in the coming weeks.