KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - Russia launched a third consecutive day of intense drone and missile barrages against Ukraine on Thursday, leveling an apartment complex in Kyiv that claimed seven lives and injured dozens, according to officials. Additional strikes throughout the nation harmed over two dozen civilians.

Dawn revealed destruction in Kyiv's verdant Darnytsia district on a crisp morning, nestled between a suburban woodland and the Dnieper River. Thin trails of smoke curled from the ruined nine-story residential structure, where rescuers sifted through rubble and carried victims on stretchers. The entranceway lay in ruins from the impact, trapping those inside.

All 18 units in the structure were obliterated, authorities reported. Among the fatalities was a 12-year-old girl, announced Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Emergency responders confirmed seven deaths, with at least 20 individuals still unaccounted for.

Ukrainian leaders pointed out the timing of the assault, which overlapped with U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to China. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping possess the influence needed to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt his four-year invasion of Ukraine.

"While the heads of the world's most influential nations convene in Beijing - amid global expectations for stability, peace, and collaboration - Putin unleashes hundreds of drones, ballistic, and cruise missiles on Ukraine's capital," Sybiha posted on X.

"Sustained pressure on Moscow is the only way to halt him," Sybiha added regarding Putin.

Escalating Aerial Campaigns Against Ukraine This Week

Russia deployed ballistic and cruise missiles in the barrage, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported, noting that Moscow had dispatched over 1,560 drones toward populated areas since Wednesday. Overall, approximately 180 locations nationwide suffered damage, including more than 50 homes, he indicated.

British Defense Secretary John Healey described Thursday's onslaught as "shocking" and announced expedited shipments of U.K. air defense systems.

Russia has intensified major aerial operations against Ukraine after a brief May 9-11 truce that Trump urged Zelenskyy and Putin to observe. Skirmishes persisted during that period, albeit at a lesser scale.

These barrages contradict recent hints from Trump and Putin that the conflict - ignited by Moscow's full-scale incursion into its neighbor in 2022 - might soon conclude.

Locals Recount a Night of Horror

Over 30 individuals sustained injuries from the building's collapse, while rescuers extracted 28 survivors, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported.

In adjacent structures, blast waves had shattered windows.

Lyudmila Hlushko, 78, recounted hearing blasts and rocket whistles around 3 a.m. "The building trembled fiercely, followed by a deafening explosion that broke every window in my home," she shared with The Associated Press.

Fellow resident Nadiia Lobanova called it "a terrible night."

"We've grown accustomed to it - though truly, no one can - but we endured somehow," she continued.

Destruction spanned six districts in the capital, per Kyiv Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko.

The Kyiv branch of drone manufacturer Skyeton, focused on reconnaissance models, was obliterated in the predawn raid, but the firm had foreseen the risk and shifted production elsewhere. Russia often rationalizes civilian-area strikes as targeting military-industrial sites.

Russia's Most Intense Barrages Since Full Invasion

Cities including Kremenchuk, Bila Tserkva, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Odesa faced bombardment, officials confirmed.

"These represent the heaviest assaults since the full-scale invasion began," air force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat told Ukrainian broadcaster Suspilne.

Ukraine's air defenses face immense pressure, he noted, yet achieved a 93% success rate in neutralizing drones and missiles, Zelenskyy reported.

Defenses downed or disrupted 693 Russian projectiles overnight, comprising 41 missiles and 652 drones of assorted types across the country, the air force stated.

Fifteen missiles and 23 drones caused direct impacts at 24 sites, with debris from intercepts landing at 18 more.

Assaults on power facilities disrupted electricity for residents in Kyiv and 11 other areas, Ukrenergo announced.

On Wednesday, an unusual daytime strike on Kyiv killed at least six, Zelenskyy said. That operation, featuring 800 drones, affected about 20 regions and ranked among the war's most prolonged.

Other Thursday updates:

- Hungary summoned Russia's ambassador after a drone incident near its Ukrainian border, signaling a sharp pivot by new Prime Minister Péter Magyar against Moscow following years of alignment under ex-leader Viktor Orbán.

- Latvia's Prime Minister Evika Silina stepped down after her coalition collapsed, amid criticism over responses to Ukrainian drones straying into Latvian airspace.

Associated Press journalists Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal, contributed.