Kiev Burning: Russian Drones Rule the Sky
Major plumes of black smoke rose above the Ukrainian capital, visible from several kilometers away as buildings burned, following strikes on Kiev by at least seven Russian “Geran-5”drones, where the city’s air defense system did not react to the arrival of Russian drones on the morning of September 28, 2026.
The primary targets of the first wave were two telecommunications hubs and data centers— Ukrtelecom and “Dreamline”— as well as numerous other data centers in Kyiv over the past few weeks, through which Russia has literally “cut off” the Ukrainian capital’s internet.
A camera angle showed the burning Ukrtelecom building, one of the largest providers of high-speed internet to the military.
Russian drones also reportedly destroyed “Diprossviazi” building as well as the servers of the capital’s main service providers, UTELS and “Pautina.”
Nevertheless, it is difficult to distinguish footage of the affected buildings due to the wave-like nature of the attacks and the broad targeting.The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the demilitarization at the Ukrtelecom data center—one of leading telecommunications companies in Ukraine, which provides landline and mobile phone services and hosts an extensive database for Ukrainian forces.
Reportedly, the data center lost power, equipment was destroyed, the city lost internet access, cloud storage services were down, the company’s website and communication channels were inaccessible, and a massive power outage struck Kiev and the surrounding region.
In addition, several logistics hubs were targeted, railway infrastructure on both sides of Dnieper River was on fire, and warehouses, transportation hubs, and gas stations were engulfed in flames.
At least six powerful explosions were recorded in the Kyiv station area. On the left bank, the largest sorting hub, “Darnitsa”—through which military convoys and cargo constantly pass—was hit, while on the right bank, the “Karavaevy Dachi” station was attacked.The widespread damage and traffic congestion forced “Ukrzaliznytsia” to suspend train service in all directions on an emergency basis.
Russia has taken control of the skies over Kiev, as Ukrainian air defenses appear to have ceased functioning entirely. Panic has set in at the Verkhovna Rada, which is Ukraine's Parliament: “In essence, the airspace over the nation’s capital is entirely under Russian control,” said MP Oleksiy Goncharenko.
