Key facts
- Russia launched a mass missile and drone attack on Kyiv and surrounding areas on July 6, 2026.
- At least 26 people were killed and dozens injured, including seven children.
- Residential buildings and civilian infrastructure were hit in Kyiv and the Kyiv Oblast.
- Ukraine faces a severe shortage of Patriot air defense interceptor missiles, hindering its ability to counter ballistic attacks.
- The attack occurred just before a NATO summit in Turkey on July 7.
Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on Kyiv and surrounding areas overnight on July 6, 2026, killing at least 26 people and injuring dozens more, including seven children. The attack, which hit residential buildings and civilian infrastructure, comes just hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of another significant assault on the capital and on the eve of a NATO summit in Turkey.
In Kyiv, at least 19 people were killed and over 90 injured, with residential buildings in the Podilskyi, Obolonskyi, and Holosiivskyi districts struck. One apartment building in the Podilskyi district was partially destroyed between the 5th and 9th floors. In the town of Vyshneve, near Kyiv, seven people were killed and 29 injured, leading to the evacuation of over 600 residents due to a threat of a second detonation.
Ukraine's Air Force reported that Russia deployed 23 ballistic missiles, 39 cruise missiles, six hypersonic Zircon missiles, and 351 attack and decoy drones. While Ukrainian air defenses successfully intercepted many of these, 23 ballistic missiles, six Zircon missiles, and 18 drones managed to strike targets across the country.
Military experts and officials highlighted Ukraine's critical shortage of Patriot air defense interceptor missiles, which are essential for countering ballistic missile attacks. Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov stated that Russia is increasingly using ballistic missiles to exploit this vulnerability, launching them on an unprecedented scale. President Zelensky urged allies to provide more air defense systems, particularly Patriot missiles, ahead of the NATO summit.
The attack caused significant damage, including to non-residential buildings, garages, and warehouses in Kyiv. Civilian infrastructure in the Kyiv Oblast was also affected. This incident follows a deadly Russian attack on Kyiv on July 2, which resulted in 31 fatalities. Thousands of Kyiv residents sought shelter in metro stations, and DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy company, reported damage to its facilities.