OVERALL OPERATIONAL PICTURE: The Russian Federation (RF) continues a large-scale, multi-domain air offensive, demonstrating a significant escalation in the scope and lethality of attacks targeting critical infrastructure and civilian areas across central, northern, and western Ukraine. Kyiv remains under severe, sustained attack involving ballistic missiles (Iskander-M), Shahed UAVs, Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles (MiG-31K launch confirmed), Kh-101 cruise missiles (confirmed launches), and reports of "decoys" and "Gerber." Confirmed impacts and significant damage in Kyiv now include an office building, a shopping center, residential buildings, educational facilities, and numerous vehicles. The casualty count has tragically risen to 4 fatalities and over 20 injured, including children. UAF deep strike operations into RF territory continue to be effective, confirmed to include multiple oil refineries and railway infrastructure. (HIGH CONFIDENCE) New reports confirm the widespread nature of fires in Kyiv, necessitating the deployment of aviation for suppression. (HIGH CONFIDENCE) The air raid alert for Kyiv has now been lifted, only to be reinstated moments later due to new UAV threats. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
Central/Northern Ukraine (Expanded Air Threat - Intensified and Lethal):
- Kyiv Oblast: Confirmed 3x missile impacts in Vyshhorod Raion. Kyiv city has sustained severe and significant impacts. The Kyiv Military Administration (KMA) confirms multiple damage locations in Shevchenkivskyi, Darnytskyi, Dniprovskyi, and Solomianskyi districts. A kindergarten is reported ablaze in Darnytskyi district due to an attack. Multiple apartment fires are reported in a Kyiv high-rise, and a 5-story building is significantly damaged. Tragically, 4 fatalities and over 20 injured individuals (including two children) are now confirmed in Kyiv, specifically impacting a residential complex "Nova Anglia" and the Lukianivka area. A training institution has also been damaged, and an auto parking lot is on fire. In Dniprovskyi district, 7 vehicles are reported on fire across two locations. In Shevchenkivskyi district, 9 vehicles are reported on fire. A residential building in Holosiivskyi district has been damaged, with KMA confirming significant damage at several locations, including residential buildings, a fire, and at least 10 houses with broken windows. An office building in Obolonskyi district has been damaged. A shopping center in central Kyiv has been hit. Astra and Operativni ZSU provide imagery and video confirming significant destruction to residential buildings and widespread fires in Kyiv following RF attacks, corroborating the rising casualty figures. Aviation (helicopters/aircraft) have been deployed for firefighting efforts in Kyiv. (HIGH CONFIDENCE) New reports indicate several people may remain under rubble in Kyiv. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
- Dnipropetrovsk Oblast: RF attacked two districts in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in the evening (yesterday). (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
- Kyiv/Zhytomyr Oblasts: High-speed targets detected moving towards Zhytomyr Oblast, with UAVs confirmed targeting Zhytomyr city. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
- Chernihiv Oblast: High-speed targets detected moving towards Chernihiv city. Kh-101 cruise missiles confirmed entering via Sumy Oblast towards Chernihiv Oblast, moving southwest. Multiple groups of UAVs detected in Chernihiv Oblast moving southwest. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
- Ballistic Missile Threat: Monitoring channels warn of ballistic missile threat from both northern and southern directions. Kyiv is confirmed under ballistic missile attack with preliminary assessment of 4x Iskander-M from Bryansk Oblast, and further ballistic missile launches from Voronezh Oblast towards Kyiv. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
- Mass UAV Attack: Approximately 80 UAVs reported in Ukrainian airspace, with new reports indicating movement towards Kolomyia (Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast) and Zhytomyr city. Four reactive Shaheds reported approaching Kyiv, with one high-speed target on Vasilkiv. UAVs are reported over the right bank of Kyiv. UAF Air Force re-iterates UAV threat to Kyiv, and also reports UAVs approaching Starokostiantyniv and Bila Tserkva. UAVs detected past Brovary towards Kyiv. UAVs currently on course for Vasylkiv. A new air alert for Kyiv has been declared due to UAV threats, specifically one BpLA heading towards Kyiv. (HIGH CONFIDENCE) UAF Air Force reports a UAV is currently on course for Boryspil. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
- Kinzhal Missile Threat: A MiG-31K, carrier of the Kinzhal aeroballistic missile, has taken off and monitoring channels reported potential Kinzhal launches. KMA explicitly states "Kinzhal" used in current attack. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
- Cruise Missile Threat: Monitoring channels report possible Kh-101 cruise missile launches from RF strategic aviation (Tu-95), leading to a nationwide missile threat alert. Air Force confirms groups of Kh-101 cruise missiles on the border of Sumy and Chernihiv Oblasts moving southwest. Subsequent confirmation of Kh-101s moving from Sumy to Poltava Oblast, then towards Cherkasy Oblast. Cruise missiles confirmed en route to Kaniv, then from Cherkasy Oblast to Kirovohrad Oblast. Group of cruise missiles on eastern Kyiv Oblast moving west. Cruise missiles on Cherkasy Oblast moving west. Group of cruise missiles confirmed heading directly for Kyiv, then another group towards Vinnytsia Oblast, then another group on northern Vinnytsia Oblast moving west, and another missile from the south towards Vasylkiv, and finally one towards Starokostiantyniv. Cruise missiles from Vinnytsia Oblast now entering Khmelnytskyi Oblast. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
- Air Alert Status: The air raid alert for Kyiv was lifted as of 280333Z AUG 25, but was immediately reinstated at 280423Z AUG 25 due to new UAV threats. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
- Implication: The multi-layered, multi-directional attack on Kyiv with ballistic missiles, UAVs, confirmed Kinzhal/Kh-101 assets, and potentially "decoys" represents a severe, sustained escalation in both complexity and intent. The tragic escalation in civilian casualties (now 4 fatalities and over 20 injured, including children) and confirmed civilian infrastructure damage (kindergarten, residential buildings, educational facility, office building, shopping center, private vehicles) underscores the indiscriminate nature and psychological intent of RF targeting, aiming to inflict terror and maximize societal disruption. The expansion to western vectors (Kolomyia, Starokostiantyniv, Bila Tserkva, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi) continues to stress UAF air defenses and force broader area protection. The immediate re-issuance of a Kyiv air alert due to UAV threats after an all-clear highlights the persistent, complex, and protracted nature of the RF air campaign. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
- Railway Infrastructure: UkrZaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) confirms a deliberate RF strike on an "Intercity+" high-speed train depot, causing damage to passenger trains. This has resulted in changed routes for some passenger trains. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
- Vinnytsia Oblast: 60,000 people are without power in Vinnytsia Oblast due to RF strikes. OVA reports enemy attacked critical infrastructure in Vinnytsia Oblast overnight. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
- Khmelnytskyi Oblast: Enemy attacked Khmelnytskyi Oblast with UAVs overnight. Interceptions confirmed, details to follow from OVA. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
- Kryvyi Rih: Situation controlled as of morning 28.08.25. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
Donetsk Direction (Pleshcheyevka/Western LNR): RF 103rd Motorized Rifle Regiment (150th Motorized Rifle Division) scouts, supported by an Orlan-30 UAV (439th Rocket Artillery Brigade), detected two UAF dugouts near Pleshcheyevka, destroyed by Krasnopol-M2 PGM. RF (TASS, Marochko) claims Kyiv has intensified attacks on the western LNR front, over 20 km wide. This suggests either a UAF probing attack or a counter-narrative from RF following heavy strikes on Kyiv. TASS claims RF forces "cleared 3 km near Sredneye and entrenched themselves in a forest belt near Shandrygolovo DPR." (MEDIUM CONFIDENCE)
- Kharkiv Oblast: RF 'Colonelcassad' reports TOS (Thermobaric Artillery System) use by "Severyan" forces to burn UAF positions in Kharkiv Oblast. This is unverified but indicates continued RF use of heavy thermobaric systems. (LOW CONFIDENCE)
Zaporizhzhia Oblast: Explosions reported in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. RF MoD (TASS) claims artillery from "Dnipro" group hit UAF defensive positions in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, releasing video of a 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer. UAF Air Force reports a UAV from the south heading towards Zaporizhzhia city. Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration confirms Russians attacked an enterprise in the city, causing a fire, and reports 4 injured individuals in Polohy and Zaporizhzhia districts. RF "Операция Z" claims Russian Army liberated Plavni, burst into Primorskoye and assaults Stepnogorsk, advancing on the Zaporizhzhia front. (MEDIUM CONFIDENCE)
RF Internal (Volgograd Oblast): Reports of a strike on Petrov Val railway station in Volgograd Oblast, confirmed by Governor. This indicates continued UAF deep strike activity against RF logistics. RF sources confirm movement suspended at a station in Volgograd Oblast due to UAV debris, causing possible passenger train delays. "Оперативний ЗСУ" confirms transport and logistics infrastructure under massive attack in Volgograd Oblast. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
RF Internal (Oil Refineries): UAF sources, independent OSINT (ASTRA), and social media reports confirm UAV attacks and significant fires at Afipsky (Krasnodar Krai) and Novokuibyshevsky (Samara Oblast) oil refineries. These are major industrial facilities, and the scale of the fires suggests substantial damage and disruption. ASTRA further emphasizes the ongoing large-scale fire at Novokuibyshevsk and provides video of the presumed moment of attack on the Kuybyshevsky (Novokuibyshevsky) refinery in Samara. Ukrainian channels continue to post new videos confirming fires at RF oil refineries. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
RF Internal (Airports): Temporary flight restrictions imposed in Sochi, Saratov, Samara airports. Rosaviatsiya reports restrictions lifted in Saratov, Sochi, and Volgograd airports. Temporary restrictions introduced in Kazan airport. Rosaviatsiya now reports restrictions lifted in Kazan and Samara airports. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
RF Internal (Rostov Oblast): RF reports drone attack repelled in Kamensky, Millerovsky, and Chertkovsky districts of Rostov Oblast. TASS reports UAV fragments fell on a house roof in a village in Rostov Oblast, leading to the evacuation of 89 people due to detonation threat. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
RF Internal (Krasnodar Krai): A fire broke out in a forest area near Gelendzhik after UAV debris fell, covering 200 sq. meters. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
RF Internal (Sevastopol): Air raid alert in Sevastopol, 3 drones shot down. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)
Western Ukraine (Lviv Oblast Border): Video shows young men (18-22 years old) being denied exit at the Rava-Ruska border crossing. (HIGH CONFIDENCE)