Kyiv businesses reel after massive overnight attack on region

Ukrainian businesses are reeling after Russia launched a massive barrage of drones and missiles at Kyiv overnight on May 24, causing widespread damage across the capital. Russia launched 90 missiles and 600 drones during the several hours-long attack , making it one of the largest this year and causing damage to "every district of the city," according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitshchko. Missiles and drones caused severe damage across several central districts of Kyiv — usually spared from the worst

"We had just opened the coffee shop yesterday," Yevhen Prusak, 35-year-old co-owner of Hogo cafe, told the Kyiv Independent at the scene. "I heard a missile fly right over my head, and that woke me up instantly. Almost immediately, I got a message from my alarm system saying the windows (of the coffee shop) had been blown out," Prusak said. Yevhen Prusak makes coffee on May 24, 2026, just hours after a shockwave from a missile strike caused severe damage to the newly opened business. (Kateryna Hodunova/Kyiv Independent) The cafe, which had its grand opening on May 23, was damaged by the shockwave of a cruise missile strike, which hit the Ukrainian National Chornobyl Museum less than 100 meters away. A Kyiv Independent journalist sheltering in the nearby Kontraktova Ploshcha subway station witnessed the aftermath of the strike. Flames and large plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the museum, and shattered glass from blown-out windows — including from Hogo cafe — lined the street as far as 100 meters away. Podil district, home to Hogo and the Chornobyl museum, suffered heavy damage. A central district with pedestrianized streets and parks, the area has hundreds of shops and restaurants popular amongst Kyiv residents. Zavertailo, an upmarket cafe chain in Kyiv, also suffered damage from the strike. The attack coincided with their preparations to open a new location in another part of the city tomorrow. "All the windows are shattered, and the frames are bent beyond repair — they’ll have to be replaced," Stanislav Zavertailo, 46, co-owner of the popular Zavertailo and Honey chains, said of the Podil branch in comments to the Kyiv Independent at the scene.

Key points

• "We had just opened the coffee shop yesterday," Yevhen Prusak, 35-year-old co-owner of Hogo cafe, told the Kyiv Independent at the scene.
• "I heard a missile fly right over my head, and that woke me up instantly.
• Almost immediately, I got a message from my alarm system saying the windows (of the coffee shop) had been blown out," Prusak said.
• Yevhen Prusak makes coffee on May 24, 2026, just hours after a shockwave from a missile strike caused severe damage to the newly opened business.
• (Kateryna Hodunova/Kyiv Independent) The cafe, which had its grand opening on May 23, was damaged by the shockwave of a cruise missile strike, which hit the Ukrainian National Chornobyl Museum less…