Key facts
- At least one person was killed and eight injured in the October 19 attack on Kyiv.
- Russia launched 16 ballistic missiles targeting Kyiv and the surrounding region.
- Ukraine's Air Force confirmed advance warning was received for the second wave of attacks, but not the first.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on October 19 that he could not confirm reports of Ukraine receiving no advance warning before Russia's ballistic missile attack on Kyiv, citing a lack of information. The attack on October 19 killed at least one person and injured eight, with explosions reported in multiple waves overnight. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X that Ukraine had not received early warning from its partner countries, including the U.S., ahead of the attack, adding that Russia launched 16 ballistic missiles. Ukraine's Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat confirmed no advance warning for the first wave of attacks around 11 p.m., but information was provided for the second wave around 3 a.m. A senior Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent that the first overnight wave followed a similar pattern, with warnings coming only after the strike had already happened.