**American Volunteer Killed in Kyiv Drone Attack Amid Russia-Ukraine Conflict**

Fred Grandy, who recently volunteered in Kyiv, became one of the latest casualties in a significant assault by Russian forces, highlighting the deepening crisis.

Fred Grandy, a 62-year-old artist from Oregon, traveled to Kyiv in late May to support Ukraine as he grew disheartened by what he perceived as a waning commitment from the United States towards the war efforts. Family members described how Grandy volunteered to help clear debris left from consistent Russian attacks, embodying a desire to make a meaningful difference.

Five days before his tragic death, he expressed to his sister, Sietska Reed, that he felt he was where he needed to be and intended to stay for several months to contribute further. Instead, he became one of at least 28 victims of a major drone and missile strike in Kyiv that began on Monday night and continued into Tuesday. This large-scale assault marked one of the most extensive by Russian forces thus far in the conflict, affecting numerous neighborhoods across the city.

Emergency responders have been working around the clock to recover those trapped in the wreckage, ultimately leading to devastation in a nine-story apartment building in western Kyiv that was nearly destroyed. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that their strikes met their intended targets, as they habitually assert, denying any civilian harm.

The recent increase in air assaults has dampened small hopes for a provisional ceasefire. Since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, the United Nations reports over 13,300 civilian casualties in Ukraine, though actual numbers are believed to be much higher. Grandy's death marks a rare instance of an American civilian being killed in an aerial attack in Kyiv during this ongoing conflict, adding a poignant reminder of the war's brutal reality.