Russia struck Qatari embassy in overnight attack on Kyiv, says Zelenskyy

In the latest overnight aerial attack, Russia on Thursday night struck the Qatari embassy in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

Zelenskyy said in a statement that “a building of the Embassy of Qatar was damaged last night by a Russian drone”.

Since Vladimir Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian aerial attacks have so far struck at least nine diplomatic missions in Kyiv. It has also struck cultural institutions like the British Council and targeted civilian structure on a near-daily basis.

Noting that Russia struck the Qatari embassy despite its role in mediation, Zelenskyy praised the Arab kingdom as “a state that does so much to mediate with Russia in order to secure the release of prisoners of war and civilians held in Russian prisons”. He said that the world, and the United States in particular, would need to have a clear reaction to such attacks.

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“A clear reaction from the world is needed. Above all from the United States, whose signals Russia truly pays attention to. Russia must receive signals that it is its obligation to focus on diplomacy, and must feel consequences every time it again focuses on killings and the destruction of infrastructure,” said Zelenskyy.

In the latest barrage on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, Russia hit non-military targets across Ukraine, striking in Kyiv and Lviv in the country’s west near the border with Poland. The barrage included the usage of nuclear-capable Oreshik missile. In Kyiv, at least four people were killed in Kyiv and 10 were injured, according to Ukrainian authorities.

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In Kyiv and the region, the aftermath of the massive Russian strike is still being dealt with. All necessary services are deployed. Twenty residential buildings alone were damaged. Recovery operations after the strikes also continue in the Lviv region and other regions of our… pic.twitter.com/AMkwfKHOkC

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 9, 2026

Zelenskyy called upon Ukraine’s partners to speed up deliveries of air defence systems in the wake of the latest attack.

“Today’s strike also serves as a very loud reminder to all our partners that supporting Ukraine’s air defense is a permanent priority. Not a single day can be lost in deliveries, in production, or in agreements. Today, we will inform our partners at all levels about what has happened and what response measures we need. Thank you to everyone who stands with Ukraine!” said Zelenskyy.

Previously, Russia has struck diplomatic missions and foreign cultural institutions at least twice. In August 2025, Russia struck the European Union's (EU) mission to Kyiv. The same attack also targeted the British Council in the capital. In December, a Russian wave struck the missions of Albania, Argentina, Palestine, North Macedonia, Portugal, and Montenegro.