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Russian missiles struck the British Council building in Kyiv overnight, prompting a furious response from Prime Minister Keir Starmer (Labour). The devastating attack killed at least 14 people, including three children, as missiles and drones rained down across 20 districts of the Ukrainian capital.
Starmer condemned Putin for "killing children and civilians" and "sabotaging hopes of peace". He said: "My thoughts are with all those affected by the senseless Russian strikes on Kyiv which have damaged the British Council building. This bloodshed must end."
Attack reaches unprecedented scale
The assault involved 629 missiles and drones in a single night, according to Daily Star and Daily Mail reports - marking the second-highest number used throughout the entire war. Among the casualties, Mirror reports, were a two-year-old girl, a 14-year-old boy, and a 17-year-old girl.
The bombardment forced citizens to seek shelter in underground metro stations as buildings were destroyed across the capital. Two missiles struck within 20 seconds of each other at 5:40 AM, Daily Mail reports.
British Council severely damaged
The British Council confirmed its offices on Zhylyanska Street were "severely damaged" and would remain closed "until further notice". The organisation stated that while responses may be delayed, their work with Ukrainian partners in education and culture continues.
The British Council serves as the UK's international organisation for cultural relations, operating in over 100 countries to build connections between people worldwide and Britain. Founded in 1934, it works closely with the UK government while maintaining independence.
EU offices also targeted
European Union delegation offices, located very close to the British Council building, were also damaged in the attack. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed outrage at the "brazen attack" so close to the diplomatic mission.
Von der Leyen announced Brussels was preparing "a 19th package of hard, biting sanctions" while advancing work on using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine's defence and reconstruction.
Russian propaganda celebrates attack
A Telegram channel linked to hardline Russian MP Andrey Lugovoy celebrated the British Council strike. The channel claimed without evidence that a dozen British "gentlemen" were inside the building during the attack.
Lugovoy, who is accused of poisoning Alexander Litvinenko with radioactive polonium in London, described the British Council as conducting "subversive work" rather than genuine cultural activities.
Sources used: "Express", "Mirror", "Daily Star", "Daily Mail" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
