A heartbreaking story has emerged from the Shevchenkivskyi district of Kyiv following the Russian overnight attack on May 7. A residential building was hit, killing an elderly woman and her disabled son, who were unable to reach shelter in time.
The mother, well-known in the local volunteer community for caring for stray animals, looked after ten cats in her top-floor apartment. According to the Kyiv Animal Rescue Group (KARG), which responded after a friend of the victims raised the alarm, five of the cats were found dead at the scene.
Yet amid the devastation, there was a small miracle. Rescuers found a single cat alive under the window—badly burned, likely thrown from the building by the blast wave. The animal was rushed to intensive care, where it remains in critical condition with severe burns and lung damage. Rescuers are pleading for donations to help save the cat’s life.
“This cat lost its home, its family, and almost its life. Help us save it,” KARG wrote.
Massive Overnight Drone and Missile Assault on Kyiv
The strike was part of a broader Russian assault that night. According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russia launched 4 ballistic missiles and 142 drones—about half of them Shaheds—across Ukraine. Kyiv was hit twice: first by missiles, then by drones in the early morning hours.
“Unfortunately, there are fatalities—a woman and her son,” Zelenskyy wrote. “All services are on-site helping people.”
By 10:00 a.m., dozens of drones were still airborne, and at least 7 people were reported injured, including four children.
