Key facts
- A major Russian air strike killed 16 people and injured over 40 in Kyiv and the surrounding region.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attributed the casualties to a lack of air defence missiles from allies.
- Ukraine's air force reported intercepting most of the incoming cruise missiles and drones.
- Residential buildings, a school, a children's hospital, and a kindergarten were damaged.
- The Russian defence ministry stated it targeted facilities producing drone components, a military depot, and a logistics hub.
A significant Russian air strike on Thursday resulted in 16 fatalities and over 40 injuries in Kyiv and its surrounding areas. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine emphasized that the ongoing casualties are a direct consequence of allies failing to replenish the country's air defence missile stocks, particularly Patriot interceptors.
Ukraine's air force reported successfully intercepting nearly 90% of the drones and most of the cruise missiles launched in the large-scale overnight attack. However, the number of ballistic missiles launched and whether any were intercepted remains unspecified. Zelenskiy described the strike as one of the most "cynical, calculated, and large-scale" of the war, noting that the upper floors of a nine-storey residential building in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district were destroyed. In total, 30 residential buildings, a school, a children's hospital, and a kindergarten sustained damage in the capital and its environs.
The Russian defence ministry stated that its strikes targeted facilities involved in drone component production, a military depot, and a logistics hub, among other objectives. The attacks also impacted a border crossing in the Odesa region. In response to the escalating ballistic missile attacks, Zelenskiy has repeatedly urged allies to provide more Patriot interceptors, highlighting their critical role in saving lives and enabling serious peace negotiations.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the urgency and stated that the EU is working with partners to supply Ukraine with anti-ballistic capabilities. Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi reported damage to food warehouses and Red Cross facilities near Kyiv. The attack, which lasted nearly nine hours, has led to occasional shortages of fresh produce in Kyiv supermarkets due to strikes on logistics depots.