Key facts
- Russia launched a major ballistic missile attack on Kyiv on July 19.
- Residential and commercial buildings were damaged and set ablaze.
- Explosions were heard throughout the night, with air raid sirens sounding.
- This attack is part of a pattern of recent Russian strikes on the Ukrainian capital.
Residential buildings sustained damage and caught fire in Kyiv following a significant Russian ballistic missile assault on the Ukrainian capital during the night of July 19. Multiple explosions reverberated through the city starting around 1:30 a.m. local time, accompanied by air raid sirens across central and eastern Ukraine. Journalists on the ground reported further rounds of explosions later in the night. Ukraine's Air Force had earlier issued warnings about ballistic missiles approaching Kyiv. In the Desnyanskyi district, a commercial building was hit, and vehicles were engulfed in flames. Vitali Klitschko, the Mayor of Kyiv, stated that debris falling on a multi-story residential building in the Shevchenkivskyi district caused a fire, with emergency services responding. Another residential building in the Sviatoshynskyi district also caught fire. Russia has a history of carrying out fatal strikes on civilian infrastructure throughout Ukraine as the war continues. Recent weeks have seen multiple large-scale Russian attacks targeting Kyiv, with Ukraine experiencing shortages of air defense systems like the Patriot.