KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – On Sunday, a large-scale Russian drone and missile attack on Ukraine's capital resulted in the tragic deaths of at least two individuals and caused significant damage, including smoke rising from the roof of a crucial governmental building. The attack represents a concerning escalation in Russia's ongoing air campaign against Ukraine.

Eyewitnesses from the Associated Press reported seeing a substantial plume of smoke emanating from the roof of the Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv. It remains unclear whether this smoke was due to a direct strike, a development that would signal a serious change in Russia's strategy, as the nation has generally refrained from targeting government structures located in the city center.

The Cabinet of Ministers building serves as the headquarters for Ukraine's government and hosts the offices of various ministers. In light of the attack, police cordoned off access to the area, with emergency services, including fire trucks and ambulances, promptly responding to the scene.

Ukrainian officials confirmed that the assault resulted in the deaths of two people, with an additional 15 individuals sustaining injuries. Among the deceased was a heartbreaking casualty—a 1-year-old child. This tragic loss was confirmed by Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv's city administration, who reported that rescuers recovered the child's body from the rubble of the destroyed building.

In a separate incident related to the attack, debris from Russian drones caused damage to a nine-story residential building situated in Kyiv's Sviatoshynskyi district. Another four-story residential building in the Darnytskyi district was also struck by drone debris, as noted by Kyiv's mayor, Vitalii Klitschko.

This mass attack represents the second time in just two weeks that Kyiv has been targeted in a significant aerial assault by Russian forces. As the conflict continues, the prospects for peace talks appear increasingly bleak, with hopes for a resolution diminishing amid ongoing hostilities.

In a correction to an earlier version of the report, it was mistakenly stated that debris struck a four-story building in the Sviatoshynskyi district; it was, in fact, a nine-story residential building that suffered damage.