Russia attacks Kyiv with ballistic missiles and drones

Russia attacked Kyiv with ballistic missiles and then strike drones overnight on June 18. Explosions were first heard in the capital at around 1:30 a.m. local time, following warnings from Ukraine's Air Force. Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, confirmed that Russian missiles were attacking the city. The aerial alert was canceled at around 2:39 a.m.

Just over an hour later, sirens blared again as Russian drones circled the city, with officials urging residents to seek shelter. Explosions were also reported in Sumy and Poltava. The full extent of the damage inflicted by the attack is not yet clear, and Russian strikes remain ongoing in multiple regions.

The attack comes days after Russia launched a large-scale assault on Kyiv that killed five people and injured 35 others. That June 15 attack also damaged the Dormition Cathedral at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, an 11th-century monastery and a UNESCO World Heritage site.